LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Committee of Selection

Graham Jones: To ask the Leader of the House what recent discussions he has had with the Chair of the Committee of Selection on the operation of that Committee.

George Young: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today during Oral Questions to the hon. Member for Lewisham East (Heidi Alexander).
	I have occasional discussions with my hon. Friend the Member for The Cotswolds (Geoffrey Clifton-Brown) on the work of his Committee.
	The House's arrangements for the appointment of select committee members and chairs have been significantly strengthened by changes introduced at the beginning of this Parliament.

Chair of the Committee of Selection

Bill Esterson: To ask the Leader of the House what recent discussions he has had with the Chair of the Committee of Selection on the operation of that Committee.

Chris Williamson: To ask the Leader of the House what recent discussions he has had with the Chair of the Committee of Selection on the operation of that Committee.

George Young: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave today during Oral Questions to the hon. Member for Lewisham East (Heidi Alexander).
	I have occasional discussions with my hon. Friend the Member for The Cotswolds (Geoffrey Clifton-Brown) on the work of his Committee.
	The House's arrangements for the appointment of select committee members and chairs have been significantly strengthened by changes introduced at the beginning of this Parliament.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Voluntary Work: Charities

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners have a policy to encourage their employees to  (a) volunteer and  (b) donate to charity through payroll giving.

Tony Baldry: The employees of the Church of England's National Church Institutions (NCI's) include all staff working at Lambeth Palace, Lambeth Palace Library, Bishopthorpe Palace in York, the Archbishops Council, the Pensions Board, the National Society for Promoting Religious Education and the Church Commissioners. These staff members as of 2008 are able to take up to five working days charity leave. This work can only be undertaken for registered, recognised charities and does not include general voluntary work in the parish or community. Employees are also able to donate to charity through the 'Give As You Earn' scheme where money can be deducted straight from the individuals pay-packet.

SCOTLAND

Flexibility Drawdown: Finance

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with reference to the Spring Supplementary Estimates 2010-11, HC 790, for what reasons there is proposed an increase of £1,900,000 in voted expenditure due to an end year flexibility drawdown.

Michael Moore: The comprehensive spending review (CSR) 2007 settlement determined under the previous Government was based on the presumption that the Scotland Office would be allowed to bank underspends where they occurred and for those underspends to be carried forward under the end year flexibility (EYF) scheme to be used to meet pressures in later years. The £1.9 million EYF drawn down in the Spring Supplementary Estimates allowed the Scotland Office to meet its spending commitments for 2010-11.

Scottish Parliament: Finance

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with reference to the Spring Supplementary Estimates 2010-11, HC 790, for what reasons there is proposed an increase of £125,784,000 in grant to the Scottish Parliament.

Michael Moore: The increases to the Scottish Consolidated Fund are set out in the following table. How additional money provided by Parliament is spent is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Revised position after 2010-11 Winter Supplementary  Changes  Revised position after 2010-11 Spring Supplementary 
			 Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) 29,246.021 -116.335 29,129.686 
			 Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) 3,445.177 201.158 3,646.335 
			 Movements in Debtors and Creditors and Business Rates 213.808 143.000 356.80 
			  Less :
			 Supported Borrowing by Local Authorities 305.156 0 305.156 
			 National Insurance Fund Payments towards Scottish National Health Service 1,724.076 0 1,724.076 
			 Non Voted (Fines) 11.500 0 11.500 
			 
			 Cash to Accrual Adjustments 3,715.606 102.039 3,817.645 
			 Total 27,148.668  27,274.452 
		
	
	Details of changes to the Scotland Office DEL are set out in the written ministerial statement made on 14 February 2011,  Official Report, column 64WS.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Calyx UK Ltd

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what services and equipment Calyx UK Ltd provide to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; and whether quotes from other suppliers were obtained before the contract with Calyx was signed.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what services and equipment Calyx UK Ltd and Calyx Managed Services Ltd provide to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; and whether quotes from other suppliers were obtained before the contract with Calyx was signed.
	The scope of the contract with Calyx UK Ltd and Calyx Managed Services Ltd covers infrastructure and enterprise software support.
	Infrastructure support includes server hardware, desktops and laptops, network hardware, office infrastructure, firewalls, anti-virus, web proxy and hosting services, Wide Area Network link, security solutions, email and telephony.
	Enterprise support includes software support for financial accounting, the online expense system, payroll, human resources and a relationship management system.
	IPSA selected Calyx as its ICT systems provider following a structured procurement exercise run through OGC Buying Solutions. A number of specialist ICT providers bid for the work and were evaluated against pre-agreed criteria by a selection panel made-up of IPSA Directors and ICT staff working for IPSA. The OGC maintained an oversight of the procurement.
	Three responses were received to the invitation to tender for the Infrastructure Solution and three for the Enterprise Solution.

Calyx UK Ltd

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how much the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has paid to Calyx UK Ltd since its inception; what payments are likely to be made in the remainder of 2010-11; and what estimate has been made of the payments to be made in 2011-12.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, doted February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how much the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has paid Calyx UK Ltd since its inception; what payments are anticipated to be made in the remainder of the current financial year; and what estimate has been made of the payments to be made in 2011-12.
	IPSA has, from its inception to 14 February 2011, made payments totalling £2,219,000 to Calyx UK Ltd and Calyx Managed Services Ltd.
	We will be able to confirm the total amount paid to these companies in 2010-11 after the end of the financial year.
	We are still in the process of compiling our estimate for 2011-12, and this will be presented to the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority in due course.

Expenditure

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will request that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority publish a list of the expenditure it has incurred for sums lower than £25,000.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, doted February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking whether IPSA will publish a list of expenditure it has incurred for sums lower than £25,000.
	We have undertaken to publish details of expenditure on items over £25,000. This is consistent with the Government's transparency agenda. There are no plans at this stage routinely to publish items below this threshold but we will keep this policy under review.

Information Officers

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the job descriptions of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's communications officers are.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated February 2011:
	As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the job descriptions are for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's communications officers.
	As of 28 February, the communications team consists of two people. Copies of their job descriptions have been placed in the House of Commons library.

Information Officers

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the salaries of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's communications officers are.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated February 2011:
	As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the salaries are of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's communications officers.
	The salaries of the members of the communications team have previously been published, in £5,000 bands, in answer to Parliamentary Questions 15729 and 15730, published in Hansard on 12 October 2010, column 260W.

Members: Allowances

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many expense claims from hon. Members have been rejected by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) on the grounds that insufficient evidence was provided in cases where IPSA was subsequently found to have lost the documentation provided.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many expense claims from hon. Members have been rejected by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) on the grounds that insufficient evidence was provided in cases where IPSA was subsequently found to have lost the documentation provided. (39155)
	Since 7 May 2010 IPSA has found, following requests from MPs for reviews of determinations not to reimburse a claim due to insufficient evidence being submitted, that in some 58 cases (of over 96,000 processed to date) sufficient evidence had in fact been submitted at the time the original determination was made. In each case, the original determinations were consequently overturned and the claims reimbursed. In none of these cases is it clear that the original determination was made as a result of a loss of documentation by IPSA.

Overtime

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many staff of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have worked overtime in each month since its inception; and how much has been paid in overtime payments in each such month.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many staff of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have worked overtime in each month since its inception; and how much has been paid in overtime payments in each such month.
	We hold aggregate data on overtime payments made to permanent staff. Where temporary, seconded and contract staff work overtime, these costs are either included in their day rates or are charged alongside contracted hours, and so payments for overtime are not recorded separately from payments for contracted hours.
	IPSA staff at grade E (equivalent to Civil Service grade 7) and above are not eligible for overtime payments.
	The table below details the number of permanent staff working overtime each month and the amount spent.
	
		
			   Number of employees working overtime  Total value of overtime payments for that month (£) 
			 April 2010 0 0 
			 May 2010 0 0 
			 June 2010 2 483.44 
			 July 2010 2 1,163.11 
			 August 2010 6 2,932.50 
			 September 2010 6 1,429.75 
			 October 2010 12 5,300.23 
			 November 2010 10 3,061.90 
			 December 2010 9 2,277.72 
			 January 2011 13 2,696.89

Pay: Staff

Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what comparators the board of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority used to determine the salary to be offered to its incoming compliance officer.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated February 2011:
	As acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what comparators the board of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority used to determine the salary to be offered to its incoming compliance officer.
	The recruitment process for the compliance officer is currently under way and the salary any successful candidate will be offered will be dependent on the skills and experience of the candidate.
	The advertised salary range was determined following a market comparison which was undertaken by reviewing similar compliance roles currently being advertised and following advice from the recruitment consultancy.

Personnel

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how much members of the Board of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have claimed under each category in each month since their appointment.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how much members of the Board of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority have claimed under each category in each month since their appointment.
	Details of expense claims made by IPSA Board Members in the first and second quarters of the current financial year (2010-11) are available on IPSA's website. Claims for the third quarter of the current financial year will be available on our website by no later than 4 March 2011.
	The only claim made in the third quarter was as follows:
	Rt Hon Sir Scott Baker: £57.50 for Travel to Board Meeting.
	No claims have been made in the fourth quarter to date.

Public Opinion

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many public opinion surveys the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has commissioned; what the cost of each was; who composed the questions in each survey; and if he will arrange for IPSA to place in the Library a copy of the questions asked.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated February 2011:
	As Acting Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many public opinion surveys the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has commissioned; what the cost of each was; who composed the questions in each survey; and if he will arrange for IPSA to place in the Library a copy of the questions asked. (40429)
	IPSA has commissioned one public opinion survey, in November 2010. The survey was conducted by YouGov, who were selected following a competitive procurement process, at a cost of £2,600. The questions were composed by YouGov working from a brief provided by IPSA.
	IPSA published the survey questions in its publication "Annual Review of the MPs' Expenses Scheme Consultation-January 2011". This document was lodged with the Vote Office on 5 January 2011 who deposited copies in the Library.

Triumph Corporate Furniture and Storage

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many items of furniture of each type the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority purchased from Triumph Corporate Furniture and Storage; what the cost was of each item; and whether quotes from other suppliers were obtained before the order was placed.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated February 2011:
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many items of furniture of each type the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority purchased from Triumph Corporate Furniture and Storage; what the cost was of each item; and whether quotes from other suppliers were obtained before the order was placed.
	The total cost of furniture obtained from Triumph was £239,000 (excluding VAT). The number of items of furniture purchased, and the type and cost of each item is set out in a schedule, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons library.
	Triumph was selected to supply furniture to IPSA following a structured procurement exercise run through OGC Buying Solutions. Three suppliers who provide standard office furniture were approached and responded and, of those three, Triumph provided the best solution in terms of design, flexibility, and price, and was able to deliver against a tight timescale.

Voluntary Work and Charitable Donations

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has a policy to encourage its employees to  (a) volunteer and  (b) donate via payroll giving.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	 Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated March 2011:
	As Interim Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking whether we have a policy to encourage employees to a) volunteer and b) donate via payroll giving.
	IPSA employees may apply for reasonable time off for voluntary public duties. IPSA also enables employees to donate via the payroll system. IPSA will be developing these policies further over the coming months.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Philanthropy: Arts

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage philanthropy in the arts.

Jeremy Hunt: My Department is pursuing a 10 point action plan on philanthropy, which includes an £80 million match funding scheme to incentivise giving in the arts. We are also working closely with colleagues across Government to deliver the proposals set out in the recent Green Paper on Giving.

Community and Grass-roots Sports

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on funding for community and grass-roots sports.

Hugh Robertson: In common with other Departments, this was a tough spending review for the Department. However, as a result of the Government's changes to the national lottery, Sport England will see its funding for community sport rise by 14% over the spending review period, after a small fall in 2011-12.

Boxing: Young People

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of rates of participation of young people in boxing.

Hugh Robertson: The previous Government's 2009-10 school sport survey showed that 10% of schools offered boxing to their pupils.
	Latest actual data show that the National Governing Body for Boxing, the Amateur Boxing Association of England, increased the number of 5 to 19-year-olds joining its accredited clubs, or receiving skills awards, or both, by 3,491 in 2009-10, to reach a total of 14,315 young people.

Broadband

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberconwy of 26 January 2011,  Official Report, column 281W, on broadband, when he decided to designate an area of North Wales as suitable for a broadband pilot area.

Edward Vaizey: My officials have been working closely with all three devolved Administrations over a number of months on the development of plans to rollout out broadband in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and continue to do so. The announcement of support for a broadband project in North Wales on 10 February reflects the progress of discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government on their broadband plans. This is in keeping with the general approach that all areas of the UK should be working to develop local broadband plans and that these will form the basis for future support for broadband projects.

Broadband: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the £10 million of funding for the superfast broadband pilot in North Wales will be disbursed by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Edward Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) is overseeing the expenditure of the £530 million of funds allocated to support broadband roll-out throughout the UK. The approach being taken to the disbursement of funds is that BDUK works with the relevant local authority or devolved administration to define the precise project in detail. Pilots and projects will then be subject to procurement competitions run by the relevant local authorities or devolved administration with BDUK support and advice. BDUK funds will be contributed together with other sources of public and private sector funds to finance the project. The North Wales project and the four pilot projects announced in October 2010 will be supported in this way.

Broadband: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will define the geographical coverage of the North Wales superfast broadband pilot area announced on 11 February 2011.

Edward Vaizey: In keeping with the approach being taken for the four pilot projects announced in October 2010, precise details of the project, including geographical coverage will be set by the relevant local authority and devolved Administration, working closely with Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK). The north Wales area is included in the Welsh Assembly Government's next generation broadband procurement published in the  Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 25 February.

National Lottery: Retail Trade

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will instruct the National Lottery Commission to examine the appropriateness of the actions of Camelot National Lotteries in promoting to retailers the sale of £5 scratchcards in the context of their regulatory obligations.

John Penrose: holding answer 28 February 2011
	The National Lottery Commission has already considered Camelot's proposals for £5 scratchcard games in line with its statutory duties and has approved them.
	In addition the Commission will continue to monitor future sales data from Camelot to gain increased insight into scratchcard player behaviour. Appropriate action would be taken should any concerns about £5 games come to light.

Sports

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of future trends in levels of participation in seated volleyball.

Hugh Robertson: While no assessment has been made of future trends, I am confident Volleyball England is working to increase participation in Sitting Volleyball as part of their "Playground to Podium" programme. In addition to that, Volleyball England will manage the Great Britain Paralympic Programmes for the London Paralympic Games, and will be responsible for the training and promotion of Sitting Volleyball from entry point through to performance in the lead up to 2012.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Pay

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that her published departmental organisational chart includes the names and responsibilities of all staff paid over £58,200 per annum in her Department and in the non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which she is responsible.

Richard Benyon: The level of salary disclosure in organisational structure charts already helps enable the public to hold Departments to account for their use of public funds. There are no current plans to extend the scope of salary disclosure when structure charts are updated.

Flood Control: Finance

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2011,  Official Report, columns 291-92W, on flood control: finance, how much she expects local authorities to spend on flood prevention and protection from the local authority formula grant in each of the next four financial years.

Richard Benyon: It is not possible to predict how much local authorities will choose to spend on flood prevention and protection in each of the next four financial years. Formula grant is un hypothecated and unringfenced. This means each local authority has the flexibility to decide for itself the relative priority of spending on flood risk management versus its other roles and duties.

Forestry Commission

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the effects on the red squirrel population of her recent decisions on policy on the ownership and management of Forestry Commission land in England.

Richard Benyon: We are committed to the natural environment and will ensure that the protection of our most valuable forests and their biodiversity will not be compromised.
	We are establishing an independent panel to consider forestry policy in England, which will report with its findings this autumn. The panel will advise on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England, on the role of the Forestry Commission, and on the role of the public forest estate. It will include representatives of key environmental and access organisations alongside representatives of the forestry industry.

Forests

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the inclusion of requirements relating to biodiversity for wildlife in woodland and forests in that Department's review of planning guidance.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government are working closely together to look at the inclusion of requirements relating to biodiversity and woodland as part of the process for preparing the National Planning Policy Framework.

Nature Reserves

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the ownership and management of nature reserve land in England.

Richard Benyon: Officials and Natural England have been scoping a range of options but the Secretary of State has decided that DEFRA's publicly owned National Nature Reserves (NNRs) will remain in public ownership.
	Natural England manages about two thirds of England's NNRs, while the remaining third are managed by organisations approved by Natural England, such as the Forestry Commission, the National Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and local authorities.

Polar Bears

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy of her Department is on the status of the polar bear as an endangered species.

Richard Benyon: The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List is widely regarded as the most comprehensive and objective evaluation of the conservation status of the world's animal and plant species. According to the Red List, the status of the polar bear is 'vulnerable' which means that it is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
	While it is generally accepted that the greatest threat to the survival of polar bears continues to be climate change, and the UK is playing its part in tackling that, other domestic threats such as those posed by oil development also exist. Addressing such national threats is the responsibility of the range states themselves. Where international trade in polar bears or their parts exists, however, the UK works through its membership of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to ensure that such trade is sustainable and does not further threaten the species' survival in the wild.

Recycling: Business

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on incentives for recycling for small and medium-sized companies.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is conducting a review of waste policies in England. The review is due to report in May and will set out the Government's policies to encourage and facilitate recycling by small and medium-sized companies.

Rights of Way

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2011,  Official Report, column 922W, on cycling: access, what steps her Department has taken to encourage local authorities to develop new routes for cyclists and horse riders.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA introduced Rights of Way Improvement Plans to encourage local authorities to take a strategic view of their rights of way networks with the aim of better meeting the needs of all users-but particularly those that were not well served by existing access provision, such as horse riders and cyclists.

Rights of Way

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the change in distance of rights of way in England in each of the last four years.

Richard Benyon: No estimate has been made of the change in the quantity in distance of rights of way in England in each of the last four years. The measurement and recording of public rights of way is the responsibility of local highway authorities.

Rights of Way

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2011,  Official Report, column 922W, on cycling: access, what estimate she has made of the change in the distance of rights of way in England in each of the next five years.

Richard Benyon: No estimate has been made on the likely change in the quantity in distance of public rights of way in England for each of the next five years. The measurement and recording of public rights of way is the responsibility of local highway authorities.

Sewers: Housing

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ensure that new housing developments are only built with sewers that are adopted by the relevant water authority.

Richard Benyon: A provision already exists in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 that, once commenced, will provide for the automatic adoption by sewerage undertakers of newly built sewers and lateral drains that connect with the public sewerage system.

Sewers: Private Sector

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to lay before Parliament regulations on the transfer of private sewers and lateral drains to water and sewerage company ownership.

Richard Benyon: The regulations to effect the transfer of private sewers are currently being considered in accordance with the Government's principles for better regulation.
	The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will report the outcome in due course.

Sharks: Conservation

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the purchase of shark fin products.

Richard Benyon: The UK is committed to the sustainable management and conservation of sharks, and to bringing to an end the wasteful practice known as shark finning, where shark fins are removed at sea, and the rest of the carcass discarded.
	The UK has no plans to bring forward legislative proposals on shark fin products. We consider that the most effective means of protecting these species is through working at an EU and international level to better manage fisheries, while, where necessary, seeking to ban the international trade in shark products through the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITIES).
	The UK has already taken the strong and proactive decision to ban UK vessels from removing fins from sharks at sea. All UK vessels now have to land sharks with fins naturally attached-a measure that will prevent shark finning. We want this to be the case for all vessels worldwide, and so are leading work on the review of the relevant EU legislation, and will continue to seek international agreement on the issue.
	We are also leading the way on shark management in both in Europe, and international fisheries management bodies, by calling for appropriate limits to be set on the numbers of sharks that can be caught, and for total bans on catching endangered species.

Squirrels: Conservation

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department provided for the conservation of the red squirrel population in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: Natural England is currently focusing red squirrel conservation effort in England on the Red Squirrel Northern England Project. This project was initiated by Natural England and partner organisations following a review of red squirrel conservation activity in northern England.
	In 2010-11 Natural England provided funding of c£151,000 for this project which covers:
	Setting up the core team.
	The creation of a grey squirrel control strategy for each stronghold.
	The development of a widely accepted methodology and protocol for monitoring squirrel populations, the efficacy of control and extent of squirrel pox virus.
	Developing the partnership and supporting its longer term planning.
	Under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), the Forestry Commission awards funding for woodland management (including pest control) through the English Woodland Grant Scheme. DEFRA is the managing authority for the RDPE and is responsible for its implementation under EU law.
	Figures for 2009-10 from the English Woodland Grant Scheme:
	Woodland Management Grant: £95,250
	Woodland Improvement Grant: £159,007
	Both relate to expenditure in the Red Squirrel Reserves. Figures for 2010-11 are not currently available.

Squirrels: Conservation

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the conservation of the red squirrel.

Richard Benyon: In England, the approach to red squirrel conservation is to secure long-term habitat and conditions favouring the red squirrel in areas which grey squirrels have not yet reached in significant numbers and to limit grey squirrel expansion into these areas.
	In the south-east, where there are secure populations on the Isle of Wight and Poole Harbour Islands there is an action plan in place to respond to the appearance of grey squirrels. In the north of England 17 reserves have been identified where long-term survival of the species is considered most likely. Targeted control of grey squirrels is carried out in the reserves and surrounding buffer zones. In addition, the reserves and surrounding areas are being managed in ways that favour red squirrels.
	The Forestry Commission and Natural England are, on behalf of Government, delivering this policy in partnership with the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, the Wildlife Trusts, landowners and volunteers through the Red Squirrel North England Project.

Swans

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the effects of illegal shooting on the size of the  (a) whooper and  (b) Bewick's swan population in the UK during winter periods in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: No estimate has been made of the impact of illegal shooting on UK wintering populations of whooper or Bewick's swan.
	The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust has a programme of marking of whooper and Bewick's swans, which includes monitoring the extent to which these species carry embedded shotgun pellets in their body tissue and this provides an indication of the extent to which birds are being illegally shot. While there is no evidence to suggest the level of illegal shooting in the UK has a significant impact on populations, it is recognised that such shooting across the full migration range of these species may be significant.
	The proportion of Bewick's swans carrying embedded shot has declined in recent decades from 38.8% In the 1980s to 22.7% in the 2000s. The proportion of whooper swans carrying embedded shot has not declined significantly over time, being 14.9% in the 1980s and 13.2% in the 2000s.
	For species of high conservation status that are protected throughout their world ranges, this evidence of continued illegal hunting is a significant concern especially given the Bewick's swan population is declining globally and is now significantly below former levels of abundance. Accordingly, the UK is working with other Contracting Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA) as well as with other interested stakeholders, to raise the profile of the issue and work towards the elimination of this illegal activity. In particular, we are working towards the restoration of the Bewick's swan population to its former level through participation in the development of an AEWA action plan for the species.

Swans

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the size of the  (a) whooper and  (b) Bewick's swan population in the UK during winter periods in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The most recent available estimates for numbers of whooper swan  Cygnus cygnus and Bewick's swan  Cygnus cygnus bewickii in the UK are 15,047 and 7,005 individuals respectively, and derive from a co-ordinated international swan census undertaken in January 2005. In the UK the census was undertaken by the Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme (a partnership between the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee) and the Wetland Bird Survey (organised by the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB and JNCC in association with WWT).
	A further international census was undertaken in January 2010 but the results are not yet available. Monitoring of numbers at key sites through the annual Wetland Bird Survey shows that numbers of whooper swans (which largely migrate from Iceland) have increased since 2005, while numbers of Bewick's swans (which breed in arctic Russia) have continued to show a long-term decline. For these migratory species change in global population levels is an important context to the UK figures as the birds may change their wintering distribution within their wintering ranges. The most recently compiled international trends show that the Icelandic/UK whooper population is increasing, while the Bewick's swan is declining.

Third Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to support the big society initiative.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's delivery landscape means we are well-placed to work in partnership to build the big society.
	We committed in our Business Plan to work across DEFRA and the delivery network to encourage and enable communities, civil society and public and private organisations to contribute further to the enhancement of the countryside, habitats and the environment.
	For example, we have published proposals to increase the accountability of National Parks and we are reforming key public bodies to transfer more power to people and communities. As part of this, British Waterways is to be transferred from Government to a new charity for the waterways in England and Wales through the Public Bodies Bill and the Environment Agency and Natural England will be reformed to make them more customer-focused.
	In addition, in December, DEFRA launched a national campaign to increase tree-planting by the private sector and civil society, including a website where people and community groups can report trees planted.

Waste Management

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which organisations Ministers in her Department have met in connection with its review of waste policy in England.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 2 March 2011
	Ministers and officials have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders through the ongoing review of waste policies, and are continuing to do so as the review progresses. These include representatives of central and local government, environmental groups, businesses throughout the supply chain, the waste management industry and civil society organisations.

Water Charges

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will estimate the number of households in  (a) England,  (b) each English region and  (c) each local authority area in England which will pay 3% or more of their income to meet water costs in each of the next four financial years;
	(2)  if she will estimate the number of households in  (a) England,  (b) each English region and  (c) each local authority area in England which paid 3% or more of their income to meet water costs in each of the last four financial years.

Richard Benyon: Ofwat has estimated the percentage of households that pay more than 3% of their income after housing costs on their water and sewerage bills. Estimates of the percentage of households that pay more than 3% of their total income before housing costs have been deducted on water and sewerage bills are not available.
	These estimates are only available by water and sewerage company area and by geographical region, and only for the years 2007-08 and 2009-09.
	
		
			  Water and sewerage company area 
			   Proportion spending more than 3% of income on water and sewerage bills after housing costs 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 Anglian Water 23 23 
			 Northumbrian Water 23 22 
			 United Utilities 25 28 
			 Southern Water 22 22 
			 Severn Trent Water 21 21 
			 South West Water 36 33 
			 Thames Water 19 20 
			 Wessex Water 25 22 
			 Yorkshire Water 23 22 
			 England 22 23 
		
	
	
		
			  Geographical region 
			   Proportion spending more than 3% of income on water and sewerage bills after housing costs 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 East Midlands 20 21 
			 Eastern 21 22 
			 London 21 23 
			 North East 24 22 
			 North West and Merseyside 26 28 
			 South East 19 19 
			 South West 27 25 
			 West Midlands 22 21 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 23 22 
			 England 22 23

Water Supply

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the merits of defining a measure for water poverty.

Richard Benyon: There is no recognised definition of "water poverty" because domestic customers cannot be disconnected from supply. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has, however, received a range of representations on the merits of defining a measure for water affordability concerns. We will set out our policy on water affordability in the forthcoming Water White Paper.

Water Supply: Climate Change

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of climate change on the supply of water in each of the next four years.

Richard Benyon: Water companies in England and Wales are required to submit water resources management plans every five years and to describe how forecasts in those plans take into account the implications of climate change.
	The Environment Agency's 2009 Water Resources Strategy concluded that total annual resources could reduce by up to 15% by the 2050s, with much greater reductions in summer. The Environment Agency encourages all abstractors to use water efficiently and, where new supplies are needed, to opt for flexible sources which are resilient to climate change.
	The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment is in progress under the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008. The risk assessment includes the water sector and is due to report in January 2012. Under the Adaptation Reporting Power of the Act, individual organisations, including the Environment Agency and water companies in England and Wales, have been making assessments of the current and future predicted impacts of climate change on their organisations, and of their proposals for adapting to climate change.

Whales

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy of her Department is on whaling for scientific purposes.

Richard Benyon: We believe so called 'scientific' whaling undermines the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling and contributes little or nothing to our knowledge of the size and structure of whale populations.
	We do not believe that such lethal research is necessary-a great deal of information is already available on whale diets and further data, especially on stocks or populations, can be obtained by non-lethal means.
	The UK takes every appropriate opportunity to make its opposition to 'scientific' whaling clear and have called for it to be phased out as quickly as possible.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many  (a) actual and  (b) full-time equivalent staff have left his Department's employ since May 2010;
	(2)  how many  (a) actual and  (b) full-time equivalent staff his Department employed at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many  (a) actual and  (b) full-time equivalent staff were employed by his Department in May 2010.

Chris Grayling: The number of staff employed in the Department for Work and Pensions at 31 May 2010 and at the latest date for which figures are available, 30 September 2010 is shown in the following table. Also included in the table is the number of staff who left the Department from 1 May 2010 to 30 September 2010.
	
		
			   31 May 2010  30 September 2010 
			  Staffing   
			 Headcount 118,363 114,985 
			 Full-time equivalent 107,087 103,668 
			
			  Leavers   
			 Headcount - 3,930 
			 Full-time equivalent - 3,638

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons persons not employed by Government departments or agencies are issued with passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer that I gave him on 11 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 459-60W. On grounds of security it would not be appropriate to provide details of the reasons why persons not employed by the Department are issued with passes to allow entry into the Department's premises.

Disability Living Allowance

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what calculation his Department made to arrive at the figure of 20 per cent. as a target for the level of savings on disability living allowance expenditure for working age adults.

Maria Miller: The detailed criteria that will be used in the new assessment to determine eligibility for the rates of the benefit are currently being developed. Savings estimates will be updated accordingly as a more detailed design is developed. The Chancellor announced in June 2010 that he anticipated that the overall impact of reform will result in savings equivalent to 20% of forecast working age DLA expenditure.
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the maximum reduction in housing benefit for working age social tenants  (a) nationally and  (b) in each region as a result of his proposed changes to housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.
	The impact of the proposed changes to housing benefit for working age social tenants has been estimated from data collected from the Department's Family Resources Survey. The data from the Family Resources Survey provide us with detailed information about a nationally representative sample of households, but do not collect information about all households. As a result it is not possible to provide an estimate of the maximum reduction in housing benefit that working age social tenants may experience as result of the proposed changes, on either a national or regional basis.
	An impact assessment for the proposed change to housing benefit for working age social tenants was published in February 2011 to coincide with the publication of the Welfare Reform Bill. The impact assessment can be found at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the June 2010 Budget Report, what methods his Department used to calculate the savings to the public purse arising from social tenants of working age leaving to occupy a larger property than their household size warrants.

Steve Webb: The method used to calculate savings from changes to housing benefit for working age social tenants contained within the June 2010 Budget Report was published by HM Treasury in the Budget 2010 policy costings document. The document can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf

Pensioners: Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the setting of a target for the eradication of pensioner poverty.

Steve Webb: My Department has not received any recent representations on setting a target for the eradication of pensioner poverty.
	My Department publishes data on the number of pensioners who are in low income assessed against various income thresholds. The most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty relates to those with incomes below 60% of contemporary median income, after housing costs. The latest figures available show that in 2008-09 there were 16% of pensioners in poverty (1.8 million pensioners). Pensioners are less likely to be living in poverty than the population as a whole when incomes are measured after housing costs.
	This measure of the rate of pensioner poverty is one of the proposed key measures in the Government's new transparency framework.
	Although my Department does not have an explicit target to eradicate pensioner poverty, this Government want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement as reflected in the Department's Business Plan.
	We are introducing automatic enrolment into workplace pensions from 2012. This is a central element of our strategy to reinvigorate private pension savings and aims to harness inertia and bring about a change in people's behaviour in saving for retirement. We expect this to radically increase the number of people saving into a pension and to lead to between five million and eight million people newly saving or saving more in all forms of workplace pension schemes.
	This is in addition to the measures we have already put in place, which include restoring the earnings link for the basic state pension and giving a "triple guarantee" that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%. It is estimated that the average person retiring on a full basic state pension in April 2011 will receive £15,000 more in basic state pension over their retirement than they would have done under the old prices link.
	This Government are also protecting key benefits for pensioners. Free eye tests; free prescription charges; free bus passes; free television licences for the over 75s; and winter fuel payments will remain exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government-as we promised. We have also made the temporary increase in the cold weather payment to £25 permanent.
	We want to ensure that older people receive the help that they are entitled to and we are conducting a research study into the feasibility of using existing data to help to improve the take-up of pension credit.
	The changes that we have put in place will provide a more generous state pension giving a solid financial foundation from the state which is essential as part of the pensions system and will help make it easier for people to save into a pension.

Pensioners: Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance his Department provided to pensioners during the recent recession.

Steve Webb: We have introduced legislation providing for earnings up-rating of the basic state pension from April 2011. We are also providing a "triple guarantee" that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, prices or 2.5%.
	In April 2011 we will increase the basic state pension by 4.6% to fulfil a commitment made at the Budget, and increase the standard minimum guarantee in pension credit so that most recipients see the full benefit of the rise in the basic state pension.
	We have also protected key support for older people, in recognition of the fact many have worked hard and saved all their lives, including free eye tests, prescriptions, free TV licenses for the over 75s, winter fuel payments and free concessionary bus travel.
	The Government have permanently increased the cold weather payment from £8.50 a week to £25 a week. Cold weather payments provide real help to those most vulnerable to the cold: disabled adults and children, the elderly and families with children under five who are in receipt of an income related benefit.

Social Security Benefits

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many delays to benefit payments there were in  (a) Gloucester,  (b) the South West and  (c) England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: As the administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question, how many delays to benefit payments there were in (a) Gloucester (b) the South West and (c) England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Darra Singh as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Darra Singh is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	Jobcentre Plus does not hold figures on delayed benefit payments; so we are unable to supply data for this. We do, however, have formally published targets for the average actual clearance time (AACT) taken to process benefit claims. This covers the main benefits of Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance/Incapacity Benefit. Incapacity Benefit was not included in the published AACT target from 2009/10, because it was replaced by the introduction of the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). ESA went live on 28 October 2008 so AACT figures for this benefit are only available from October 2008.
	The AACT target does not mean that all claims for that benefit are processed within that time as it is an average. We do expect some claims to take longer particularly if the customer's circumstances are complex or there is a delay in the customer returning information required to enable us to process their claim.
	For each benefit the target for the AACT in days is in the table below:
	
		
			   IS  JSA  IB  ESA 
			 2006-07 11 12 18 - 
			 2007-08 11 12 18 - 
			 2008-09 10 11.5 15 (1)- 
			 2009-10 10 11.5 (1)- 16 
			 2010-11 9 11 (1)- 14 
			 (1) No target. 
		
	
	The AACT data relating to Gloucester, The South West and England for ESA, IB, IS and JSA for the last 5 years can be found at Annex 1.
	 Annex 1
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			  England  
			 ESA - - 13.86 14.03 10.91 
			 IB 16.01 12.80 13.33 20.13 12.60 
			 IS 11.37 9.34 8.52 7.72 7.11 
			 JSA 14.75 10.74 10.32 10.00 9.25 
			   
			  South West 
			 ESA - - 10.47 12.83 11.21 
			 IB 18.15 10.27 12.36 20.62 8.33 
			 IS 13.33 8.96 8.87 8.03 7.01 
			 JSA 15.22 10.51 9.96 9.92 9.82 
			   
			  Gloucester  
			 ESA - - 14.26 15.09 11.31 
			 IB 19.5 11.4 8.28 24.72 13.98 
			 IS 15.27 9.68 8.93 9.42 7.03 
			 JSA 18.33 10.45 10.36 9.2 9.09

Social Security Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the households affected by the proposed introduction of a maximum benefit entitlement will be tenants in social housing.

Steve Webb: If the benefit cap were applied in full, it is estimated that around 70% of those affected by the household cap on total benefit income will be living in social housing.
	The estimated number of households affected by the benefit cap is based on survey data using the Department for Work and Pension's Policy Simulation Model. Small sample sizes for those estimated to be affected mean that further estimating the characteristics of this group are uncertain and should be treated with caution.
	 Note
	Percentages have been rounded to the nearest 10%.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the potential effects of changes to disability benefits on individuals in North Swindon constituency.

Maria Miller: Within the Department for Work and Pensions, all budget and spending review measures will be equality impact assessed. Where the detail of policies is still being developed we will publish equality impact assessments at the most appropriate time, for example alongside the Welfare Reform Bill.
	Changes to disability benefits are subject to consultation and, therefore, the equality impact assessments will be published at a later date, when policies are finalised.
	Where detail of the policy has been finalised equality impact assessments of disability benefit changes have been published and can be found at
	www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/impact%2Dassessments/equality%2Dimpact%2Dassessments/
	We do not have the necessary data to assess the potential impact of change for individuals in North Swindon.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the monetary value of benefits claimed fraudulently in each month since May 2010;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the monetary value of benefits claimed fraudulently since 18 October 2010.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The Department publishes estimates of fraud and error in the benefit system twice yearly as National Statistics. The publications cover the rolling 12-month periods to either March or September. Statistics for the period from October 2008 to September 2009 were published on 27 May 2010. Monthly estimates are not available.
	The estimates of fraud and error in the benefit system for the period to April 2009 to March 2010 were due to be published in November 2010. However, they have been delayed due to additional quality assurance checks. The Department's Head of Profession took the decision in line with the Code of Practice on Official Statistics. They will now be published on 29 March 2011.
	The latest estimates of fraud and error in the benefits system can be found at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/index.php?page=fraud_error_arc

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice his Department gives to ATOS on the frequency of medical assessments for persons diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Maria Miller: The Department does not give specific advice to Atos Healthcare on the frequency of medical assessments for people diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Healthcare professionals who carry out assessments for employment and support allowance are required to provide advice on when the person is likely to be able to return to work. This advice is based on the healthcare professional's medical knowledge and varies according to the individual circumstances of the case. This advice is taken into consideration by Jobcentre Plus when setting a review period.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Interpreters

Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for which services provided by  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies interpreters provide services in a language or languages other than English; how many interpreters are employed or subcontracted for each non-English language; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of interpretation costs incurred in the latest period for which figures are available.

Francis Maude: The information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what regulations his Department introduced between 22 November 2010 and 8 February 2011.

Francis Maude: The following statutory instruments have been made between 22 November 2010 and 8 February 2011:
	Political Parties, Elections and Referendums (Civil Sanctions) Order 2010-SI 2010/2860;
	Buying Agency Trading Fund (Amendment) Order 2010-SI 2010/2930;
	Superannuation Act 2010 (Repeal of Limits on Compensation) Order-SI 2010/2996.

Immigrants

Dominic Raab: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office in which 10 countries the most permanent emigrants from the UK settled in the most recent year for which records are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your question asking in which 10 countries the most permanent emigrants from the UK settled in the most recent year for which records are available (43874).
	The Office for National Statistics produces estimates of Long-Term International Migration which are primarily based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS). Detailed information on countries of next residence is available using the IPS component of these estimates.
	The attached table shows the top 10 countries of next residence for all emigrants, both UK and foreign nationals. The latest figures included here are for the 2009 calendar year and relate to the number of migrants intending to leave the UK for a period of 12 months or more.
	
		
			  Long-term international migration, estimates from International Passenger Survey: Annual data 2009-Top 10 countries of next residence of all migrants 
			   Country of next residence  Out-migrants (Thousand)  SE% 
			 1 Australia 56 5 
			 2 USA 27 10 
			 3 Poland 25 17 
			 4 France 22 23 
			 5 Spain 15 16 
			 6 India 15 9 
			 7 New Zealand 13 10 
			 8 China 11 12 
			 9 Canada 11 12 
			 10 Germany 10 15 
			  Note: Standard error percentages (SE%) indicate the robustness of each estimate. A migration figure with a standard error of >25% is not considered to be reliable. For any given estimate there is a 95% probability that the true figure lies in the range: estimate +/- 0.0196 x estimate x standard error %.

NDPBs

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many non-departmental public bodies he expects to have been  (a) established and  (b) proposed to be established between 10 May 2010 and 31 December 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: New non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will only be set up as an absolutely last resort once all other delivery models have been rigorously explored. In addition, any new NDPB will need to meet one of the three tests which were set out in my statement of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, 14 October 2010, column 505.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when she expects the Government Equalities Office to meet the Government's commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) is accommodated in Eland house, the Communities and Local Government (CLG) headquarters building. CLG decide on food sourcing for the catering facilities in Eland house.

Pay

Caroline Flint: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will take steps to ensure that the published organisational chart of the Government Equalities Office includes the names and responsibilities of all staff paid over £58,200 per annum.

Lynne Featherstone: The level of salary disclosure in organisational structure charts already helps enable the public to hold Departments to account for their use of public funds. There are no current plans to extend the scope of salary disclosure when structure charts are updated.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects his Department to meet the Government's commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office does not record the procurement of food by country of origin. To ascertain the standards of production would therefore only be available at disproportionate cost.
	Where possible, my Department always aims to use local Northern Ireland produce.

Third Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account he has taken of the Compact between the Government and Civil Society in policy development.

Owen Paterson: The Compact is an agreement between the Government, their associated non-departmental public bodies, arm's length bodies and executive agencies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) in England. It aims to ensure that the Government and CSOs work effectively in partnership to achieve common goals and outcomes for the benefit of communities and citizens. The Northern Ireland Executive has operational responsibilities for engagement with CSOs in Northern Ireland and has its own arrangements in place. However, where the UK Government have responsibility for funding services provided by CSOs in Northern Ireland, they will honour the commitments made in the Compact in relation to CSOs they fund.

Third Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to support the big society initiative;
	(2)  whether  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department are participating in volunteering activities as part of his Department's involvement in the big society initiative.

Hugo Swire: The Northern Ireland Office has an ongoing partnership though its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative with the charity Centrepoint, which works with young homeless people. This partnership has involved a skill exchange between organisations in areas such as communication, policy development and the work of Parliament, as well as some mentoring and fundraising. The Secretary of State and I fully support this relationship and look forward to engaging more fully with it. Staff in the Department have also engaged in fundraising events for charities including MS Society and Depaul Ireland.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Working Hours

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to respond to the European Aviation Safety Agency's notice of proposed amendment for flight time limitations; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Stephen Lloyd) of 28 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 177-78W.

Aviation: Working Hours

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the airline industry on the European Aviation Safety Agency's proposals to change flight time limitations for pilots.

Theresa Villiers: I have not so far received any formal representations from the airline industry on this matter.

Buses: Disability Aids

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues on methods for the provision of information on buses in  (a) audio and  (b) visual form.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has commissioned research to assess the costs and benefits of installing audio visual systems on buses. The research project has brought together a cross section of stakeholders, including Guide Dogs, Royal National Institute of Blind People and Royal National Institute for Deaf People. We will be publishing the results, together with guidance, shortly.

Cycling: Accidents

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists were killed in road accidents in  (a) Birmingham,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The number of pedal cyclists killed in road accidents reported to the police in  (a) Birmingham,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) England in each of the last five years for which data are available is given in following table:
	
		
			   Number of fatalities 
			   Birmingham  West Midlands  England 
			 2005 0 7 130 
			 2006 2 9 127 
			 2007 2 10 129 
			 2008 0 9 102 
			 2009 2 11 93

Public Transport: Disability

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated research on the (i) prevalence and (ii) adoption of audiovisual announcement systems on public transport networks in other European countries.

Norman Baker: In 2005, the Department for Transport commissioned research on 'On-board Information Systems for bus and tram passengers', to establish how costs of audio visual systems could be met. This research covered a range of international countries, including a number of European ones. A copy of this report has been placed in the House Library.

Public Transport: Visual Impairment

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account his Department's plans for an integrated transport system will take of the needs of visually-impaired passengers.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport continues to seek to improve both access and safety to public transport, including for disabled people.
	The Department aims to ensure disabled people, including those with visual impairments, are consulted on any policies that may affect them. In addition, from April 2011, the Department will be required under the Public Sector Duty of the Equality Act 2010 ("the Act") to have due regard to the effect of any policies on the Act's protected, groups include disabled people. All policies will have to be accompanied by an equality analysis.

Safety Belts: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the level of seat belt usage among children travelling in  (a) the front and  (b) the rear of cars in (i) 1990, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2005 and (iv) the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Michael Penning: The percentage of child (aged 0-13) car occupants wearing a seatbelt or using another type of restraint is shown in the table. These figures are based on observational surveys of wearing rates in England which were last carried out in November 2009.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Front seat  Rear seat 
			 October 1990 96 67 
			 October 1997 94 79 
			 October 2005 97 94 
			 November 2009 94 96

Safety Belts: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of seat belt and child restraint use in reducing the severity of injury to children involved in car accidents; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has made no recent assessment of the effectiveness of seat belts and child restraints at protecting children in cars. However, a study undertaken in the USA in 2002 concluded that a properly used child restraint reduced the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants less than one-year-old and by 54% for toddlers one to four-years-old.
	The Government are committed to ensuring the safety of all road users, including children. Regulations in Great Britain require children up to 135 cm in height or 12 years of age, whichever is reached first, to use an appropriate child restraint system for their weight while travelling in most cars.
	The number of killed or seriously injured children travelling in cars has reduced by 45% during the period 2003 to 2009.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to answer question 37390 on the removal of regulations tabled on 26 January 2011 for answer on 31 January 2011.

Michael Penning: The Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) answered the hon. Member's question on 1 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 332-333W.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Committee on Climate Change

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the future independence of the Committee on Climate Change.

Gregory Barker: The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is an independent, expert body playing a crucial role in advising Government on the level of carbon budgets and the preparedness for climate change in the UK, as required under the Climate Change Act 2008. The CCC's independent role ensures Government decisions on climate change are based on independent, expert advice, ensuring credibility and trust. The Government are committed to maintaining the CCC's independence and has no plans to amend the Climate Change Act.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies are issued with passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 February 2011,  Official Report, column 181W.

Electricity

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will direct Ofgem to commission a study of the attitude of consumers to the costs of  (a) providing infrastructure for (i) underground and (ii) electricity networks and  (b) providing overhead electricity lines on towers.

Charles Hendry: The Government have no plans to direct Ofgem to commission a study. However, as part of its transmission price control (RIIO-T1) Ofgem is engaging with stakeholders across a range of matters. Following the publication of its December 2010 RIIO-T1 Initial Strategy Consultation document, Ofgem has been working with the Department and other stakeholders to consider how further guidance might be provided to help network companies and stakeholders consider the broader environmental costs and benefits of their potential investment decisions. The attitude of consumers to the costs through willingness to pay analysis is one tool that could play a role in this process. Ofgem will set out its views in this area in its end-March 2011 RIIO-T1 strategy document and would welcome further engagement on this issue both before publication and as the network companies develop their subsequent business plans.

Electricity

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of  (a) electric and  (b) magnetic fields from (i) overhead electricity lines, (ii) underground cables and (iii) sub-sea cables.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Health are responsible for the assessment of risks to health from electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), and they in turn advise other Departments including DECC, although DECC is responsible for technical issues regarding power lines. As an output to the Government response to the first interim report from the Stakeholder Advisory Group on extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields my Department published on 14 February 2011 two voluntary industry codes of practice about how optimally phasing high voltage lines can help reduce public exposure to EMFs, and setting out how industry can demonstrate compliance with the exposure guidelines for protection of public health. These are available on the DECC website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/development%20consents%20and%20planning%20reform/1255-code-practice-optimum-phasing-power-lines.pdf
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/ development%20consents%20and%20planning%20reform/1256-code-practice-emf-public-exp-guidelines.pdf
	The Department has not made any further recent assessments for underground or subsea cables.

Electricity

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has discussed with Ofgem the account taken in the pricing regime for National Grid of the cost of  (a) underground or sub-sea and  (b) overhead line and tower electricity network infrastructure.

Charles Hendry: I have not discussed with Ofgem how it takes account of the cost of different forms of network infrastructure. The network companies are responsible for developing their networks in line with their licence obligations and Ofgem considers the costs (and other factors such as need) for electricity networks based on investment proposals put forward by network companies in line with its statutory duties. This would include, where relevant, the costs of undergrounding, subsea and overhead lines.

Energy: Business

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the effects on energy-intensive industries of the Government's proposals for electricity market reform and a carbon price support.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers discuss issues relating to energy policy on a regular basis with ministerial colleagues, including questions relating to energy intensive industries.
	The Department is working jointly with BIS on a review of the impact of climate change and energy policies on energy intensive users and I aim to publish findings of the review in the spring.

Environment Protection

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Government's policy on the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme report, Towards a Green Economy.

Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has regular meetings with the Chancellor of the Exchequer at which the significant contribution that green growth can make to the future prosperity of the UK is a regular topic. The UN Environment Programme's report, 'Towards a Green Economy', is one of a number of studies that demonstrate this. Its policy recommendations provide further support for Government policy, especially on the need for a strong policy framework to support low-carbon technologies, like renewables and carbon capture and storage, and improvements in energy efficiency.

Environment Protection

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the tripling of total installed capacity by 2050 indicated in Part 3 of the Revised Draft Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy.

Gregory Barker: In July the Department published the 2050 Pathways report, which as well as presenting the assumptions lying behind the 2050 Calculator, calculated high-level costs in the large scale power generation sector for six illustrative pathways. The analysis set out cost figures for the physical capital; fixed and variable operating costs; fuel; nuclear decommissioning and waste; and infrastructure (such as the electricity transmission and distribution network). It does not consider the cost of financing, carbon, electricity imports, research and development, behavioural change or wider macro-economic impacts. Each of these pathways showed a marked increase in electricity demand, up to a doubling in some cases.
	The six illustrative pathways that reached the 2050 target involve a shift from expenditure on fuel, such as fossil fuels, to upfront expenditure on capital, such as building low carbon power plants. Compared with a reference case where little action is taken to address climate change, average annual fuel costs are £5-12 billion lower in six illustrative pathways over the period to 2050, while average annual capital costs for the same period are £7-17 billion per year higher. The annual fuel costs are undiscounted, and the relative costs of the high and low carbon pathways are heavily dependent on the assumptions made about technology costs and fossil fuel prices.
	As promised in the July publication, the Department is continuing to explore this area in further detail, and will publish an updated version of the Calculator including costs data later this year. Respondents to our Call for Evidence in October indicated strong public support for this course of action.
	Further detailed analysis looking at the cost of electricity generation in the short- and medium-term is being carried out in conjunction with the Electricity Market Reform project, which is to report later in the year.

Fuel Poverty

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the number of households that spent  (a) 9 per cent.,  (b) 8 per cent. and  (c) 7 per cent. of their income to achieve a satisfactory heating regime as defined in the 2001 UK fuel poverty strategy.

Gregory Barker: A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain an adequate standard of warmth, as such fuel poverty measures required spending rather than actual spending. This definition of fuel expenditure also includes spending on water heating, lights and appliance usage and cooking costs. The following table shows the number of households in England in 2008, the latest year for which this information is available, which were required to spend between 7 and 10% of their income to achieve an adequate standard of warmth.
	
		
			  Percentage of income required to spend  on energy  Number of households (Thousand) 
			 Between 9 and 10% (latter included) 837 
			 Between 8 and 9% (latter included) 1,099 
			 Between 7 and 8% (latter included) 1,373

Smart Electricity Grid

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Department of Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on the allocation of spectrum for smart electricity grid purposes.

Charles Hendry: The Department has not met with the Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport to discuss allocation of spectrum for smart electricity grid purposes, though officials in the two Departments have discussed the broadband policy process and industry views on infrastructure sharing.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the levels of air passenger duty in relation to aviation taxation regimes in other countries in the EU and G20; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 November 2010,  Official Report, column 83W, to the hon. Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter)

Capital Allowance Scheme

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to expand the enhanced capital allowance scheme to increase the use of remanufactured energy-saving equipment.

Justine Greening: All taxes are kept under review and announcements on tax policy are made at Budget. The ECA scheme for energy efficient products is reviewed and updated annually by DECC. Only new technologies qualify for an enhanced capital allowance relief.

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects his Department to meet the Government's commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production.

Justine Greening: Catering services for the Treasury building are supplied by a sub-contractor to Exchequer Partnerships, the Treasury's PFI supplier. The services provided were accredited by Assured Food Standards in July 2010, enabling them to display the Red Tractor logo within establishments where they provide a catering service.

Departmental Location

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to relocate  (a) staff and  (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury staff are currently based in London and Norwich. However, there are no current plans to move any staff or offices of HM Treasury to Brighton.

Energy: Finance

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreements on energy subsidy reform were reached at the recent G20 meeting of finance Ministers and central bank governors.

Justine Greening: At the G20 summit in Seoul on 11-12 November 2010, leaders asked their finance and energy Ministers to report back on the progress made in implementing country-specific strategies at the November 2011 summit in France. At the recent G20 meeting of finance Ministers and central bank governors in Paris on 18-19 February 2011 a wide range of issues were discussed, including on energy.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 20 December 2010 concerning a constituent, Mr Kerwin.

Justine Greening: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Public Expenditure

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  with reference to table 1.1 of the June 2010 Budget, what spending consolidation he plans to implement in 2011-12 in addition to the consolidation for that year planned by the previous administration;
	(2)  how much of the spending consolidation in 2011-12 is to be attributed to the activity of the previous administration.

Danny Alexander: As per Table 1.1 of the June Budget and Table A.2 of the spending review, the previous Government's spending cuts in 2011-12, compared to 2010-11, amount to £14 billion; while the Government's spending cuts in 2011-12, compared to 2010-11, amount to £16 billion.

Wealth Redistribution

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the monetary causes of wealth redistribution; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: The Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) is a large scale nationally representative longitudinal survey of over 30,000 private households in Great Britain that provides comprehensive information on people's assets and net wealth. The first wave was conducted from July 2006 to June 2008. It collected detailed information on financial and non-financial assets, and wealth components such as savings, pensions, property, mortgages and debt as well as people's attitudes and savings behaviour over time.
	Extensive analysis of the distribution of wealth using the Wealth and Assets data is available in "Wealth in Great Britain 2006-08" at the following web link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/wealth-assets-2006-2008/Wealth_in_GB_2006_2008.pdf

Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken in respect of the assets held in the UK of the former Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his associates.

Justine Greening: On 4 February the EU adopted Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 which imposed an asset freeze on Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his associates. The regulation has direct effect in the UK, and consequently an asset freeze is now in place against Ben Ali and 47 other individuals.
	To date HM Treasury has received no reports of funds held in the UK by persons designated under Regulation 101/2011.

HOME DEPARTMENT

DNA: Databases

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many samples have been added to the DNA database in each police authority area in the last five years; and how many of those samples were for people who were not subsequently convicted of a criminal offence.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 28 February 2011
	DNA samples are not in themselves added to the National DNA Database (NDNAD), they are analysed and converted into a DNA profile which is then added to the NDNAD. The following table shows the number of subject DNA profiles held on the NDNAD by each of the police forces in England and Wales as at 31 December 2010.
	These data are based on a snapshot of the NDNAD as at 31 December 2010. The data are management information and have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
	The most recent figures available for England and Wales show that at 31 March 2010 there were an estimated 4,946,613 persons on the NDNAD, of whom 22 % (an estimated 1,083,207 persons) did not have a current conviction, caution, formal warning or reprimand recorded on PNC. A breakdown by force is not available.
	
		
			  Breakdown of the subject sample profiles on the NDNAD by police force from the creation of the NDNAD to 31 December 2010 
			  Police force  Number of subject profiles on NDNAD 
			 Avon and Somerset 137,560 
			 Bedfordshire 61,817 
			 British Transport police 60,843 
			 Cambridgeshire 69,167 
			 Cheshire 100,456 
			 City of London 27,618 
			 Cleveland 66,113 
			 Cumbria 57,868 
			 Derbyshire 108,978 
			 Devon and Cornwall 140,042 
			 Dorset 63,395 
			 Durham 64,465 
			 Dyfed-Powys 60,483 
			 Essex 163,285 
			 Gloucestershire 58,265 
			 Greater Manchester police 309,393 
			 Gwent 65,363 
			 Hampshire 183,722 
			 Hertfordshire 95,108 
			 Humberside 103,277 
			 Kent 176,460 
			 Lancashire 183,196 
			 Leicestershire 83,343 
			 Lincolnshire 63,120 
			 Merseyside 197,553 
			 Metropolitan police 1,041,896 
			 Norfolk 79,540 
			 Northamptonshire 56,917 
			 Northumbria 205,177 
			 North Wales 73,799 
			 North Yorkshire 71,235 
			 Nottinghamshire 127,994 
			 South Wales 144,039 
			 South Yorkshire 146,952 
			 Staffordshire 129,833 
			 Suffolk 61,555 
			 Surrey 75,388 
			 Sussex 141,431 
			 Thames Valley 196,665 
			 Warwickshire 41,100 
			 West Mercia 96,779 
			 West Midlands 354,847 
			 West Yorkshire 263,862 
			 Wiltshire 64,534 
			 Total 6,074,433 
			  Note: The figures provided are for the number of subject profiles retained; this is not the same as the number of people retained.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students entering the UK on a student visa were refused entry at the border in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010.

Damian Green: From 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2010, a total of 4,949 students were refused entry at the UK Border, of which 1,088 are recorded as holding visas. The details for each calendar year are set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of persons seeking entry as a student refused entry  Number of persons holding a visa seeking entry as a student refused entry 
			 2007 1,121 128 
			 2008 1,048 156 
			 2009 1,139 288 
			 2010 1,641 516 
			 Total 4,949 1,088 
		
	
	The data are from a live departmental database and have not been subject to the detailed data-cleansing required for National Statistics. They are therefore provisional and subject to modification.

Newport Passport Office: Closures

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral evidence of the Minister of State for Immigration to the Welsh Affairs Committee on 10 November 2010, HC 590, column 73, if she will publish the consultation document on the closure of Newport Passport Office.

Damian Green: The collective consultation with staff, trade unions and interested parties on the proposed closure of the passport application processing centre at Newport is due to end on 18 March 2011. Ministers will decide on how best to reduce the excess capacity in the application processing network in the light of the outcome of the consultation exercise. A summary of responses and the papers used during the consultation process will be published following that decision.

Police: Fees and Charges

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much revenue accrued to police forces from charges for the return of stolen vehicles to their owners in  (a) England,  (b) Leeds and  (c) Leeds North West constituency in each year since 2005.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The police are empowered to order the removal of any vehicle that is dangerously, obstructively or illegally parked, or broken down, or abandoned, including vehicles abandoned after being stolen. Such removals necessarily incur significant costs. To meet these costs, the law authorises the police in every case to levy on the vehicle owners charges prescribed by the Secretary of State.

Prostitution

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to extend the sex worker diversion scheme pilot to London boroughs other than Newham.

Lynne Featherstone: The Safe Exit Diversion Scheme in Newham is a recent expansion of a scheme that has been running since 2006 in Tower Hamlets. The scheme is run by the charitable organisation, Toynbee Hall. It is not a scheme piloted by the Home Office.
	The Government are currently looking at the approaches taken towards prostitution in different local areas throughout England and Wales in order to identify effective practice in terms of policing, exiting prostitution, minimising harm and multi-agency working. Effective practice guidance for local areas will be published later in the spring.

Shotgun Certificates

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shotgun certificate holders there are in each parliamentary constituency.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not available centrally. The Home Office only holds data on shotgun certificates broken down by police force area. The most recent figures are available at:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb0510.pdf
	The figures for 2009/10 are planned to be published on 24 March 2011.

Vetting: Buses

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legislative provisions she plans to introduce to remove the requirement on coach drivers working for a single employer and taking children to school across two or more local authority boundaries to undertake a Criminal Records Bureau check in respect of each local authority.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 2 March 2011
	The criminal records disclosure regime provides eligibility for Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, rather than legal requirements, for those working in sensitive areas such as work with children or vulnerable adults.
	Changes to the disclosure regime proposed in the Protection of Freedoms Bill aim to increase the portability of disclosures, by enabling an employer to check a previous CRB disclosure and verify that no new information has since come to light.

HEALTH

Blood

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the budget to be allocated to blood and transplants following the implementation of the proposals in the public health White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: There are no proposals in "Healthy Lives Healthy People" regarding the budget for blood and transplants.
	NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which supplies blood, solid organs and tissues to hospitals in England, receives grant in aid from the Department which includes the cost of organ retrieval services. NHSBT recovers the cost of collecting, processing, testing and issuing each blood component from the hospitals.
	The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 gives the NHS Commissioning Board the power to commission certain health services including those specialised services, such as transplant services, which are currently commissioned at a national and regional level. These services will be referred to in the annual mandate and specified in detail in regulations.

Blood: Donors

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place in relation to a recipient of donated blood tracing the donor; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Personal details of people who have donated blood are confidential and are kept securely by NHS Blood and Transplant. These details are not released to any third party without consent unless allowed or required by law.

Blood: Donors

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the number of blood donors on the donor register who are unknowingly infected with CJD; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The prevalence of infective donors remains unknown. A study of stored tissue samples found abnormal prion protein in three appendices out of 12,674 samples. This suggests a prevalence of about one in 4,000, though with very wide confidence interval of between one in 1,400 and one in 20,000. On the expert advice of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, this single study is given considerable weight, though a larger subsequent study suggests a lower range of estimates. Not all of the individuals in the first study would be of an age eligible to donate blood, nor is it clear whether presence of abnormal prion protein in tissues such as the appendix or tonsils indicates that the blood of such a donor would transmit variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). All precautionary measures are assessed in the context of the fundamental uncertainties about prevalence.
	The Department commissioned and uses a study, published in 2003 by DNV Consulting (London) which assessed the magnitude of the risk from infection with vCJD in blood and blood products. Based on this, the Department has published its own risk assessment which underpins departmental policy, which can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Communicablediseases/CJD/CJDgeneralinformation/DH_4136944
	A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Location

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to relocate  (a) staff and  (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: There is no current programme to relocate posts or staff out of London but this will be reviewed as part of the Department's wider transition programme and associated changes to workforce and responsibilities. At present, the Department has no specific plans to relocate civil servant posts or staff to Brighton.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what regulations his Department introduced between 24 November 2010 and 8 February 2011;
	(2)  what regulations his Department removed between 24 November 2010 and 8 February 2011.

Simon Burns: The information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Statutory Instruments revoked between 24 November 2010 and 8 February 2011 
			  SI revoked  B y SI  Made  Laid  Coming into force  SI number 
			 The Health Service Branded Medicines (Control of Prices and Supply of Information) Amendment Regulations 2009 (2009/3030) The Health Service Branded Medicines (Control of Prices and Supply of Information) Amendment Regulations 2010 18 November 2010 24 November 2010 1 January 2011 2010/2798 
			 The Flavourings in Food Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/1971) The Flavourings in Food (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/1486) The Flavourings in Food (England) Regulations 2010 23 November 2010 26 November 2010 20 January 2011 2010/2817 
			 The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 2001 (Articles 6 and 7 only) (SI 2001/1330) The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Amendment Order 2011 13 January 2011 (1)- 1 February 2011 2011/57 
			 The Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) (England) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/3230) The Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) (England) (Revocation) Regulations 2011 2 February 2011 8 February 2011 31 March 2011 2011/213 
			 (1) Not required to be laid (Published 18 January 2011). 
		
	
	
		
			  Statutory Instruments introduced before Parliament for the period 24 November 2010 to 8 February 2011 
			  SI title  Made  Laid  Coming into force  SI Number 
			 The Health Service Branded Medicines (Control of Prices and Supply of Information) Amendment Regulations 2010 18 November 2010 24 November 2010 1 January 2011 2010/2798 
			 The Flavourings in Food (England) Regulations 2010 23 November 2010 26 November 2010 20 January 2011 2010/2817 
			 The Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 24 November 2010 (1)- 1 January 2011 2010/2841 
			 The Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Amendment Order 16 December 2010 20 December 2010 17 January 2011 2010/2998 
			 The Lewisham Hospital National Health Service Trust (Change of Name) Order 7 December 2010 (2)- 1 January 2011 2010/2918 
			 The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Amendment Order 2011 13 January 2011 (3)- 1 February 2011 2011/57 
			 The Official Feed and Food Controls (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 25 January 2011 28 January 2011 1 April 2011 2011/136 
			 The Food (Jelly Mini-Cups) (Emergency Control) (England) (Revocation) Regulations 2011 2 February 2011 8 February 2011 31 March 2011 2011/213 
			 The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 5 February 2011 8 February 2011 1 March 2011 2011/231 
			 (1) Laid in draft 26 July 2010 Final Publication 1 December 2010. (2) Not required to be laid (Published 10 December 2010). (3) Not required to be laid (Published 18 January 2011).

Diseases

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on its proposed strategy to deal with rare diseases; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Officials in the Department have held meetings with the devolved Administrations and also met with several key stakeholders as part of the development of a plan for rare disease. The plan will be ready by 2013 in line with the Council Recommendation.

Food: Genetically Modified Organisms

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the entry of products derived from genetically modified organisms into the UK food chain.

Anne Milton: The Government believe that regulatory decisions on the entry of products derived from genetically modified organisms into the United Kingdom food chain should be based on a robust, case-by-case assessment of the potential impact on human health and the environment, taking full account of the scientific evidence.

Health Visitors: North East

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the new health visitor posts announced by his Department will be  (a) full-time and  (b) located in the North East.

Anne Milton: The 'Health Visitor Implementation Plan 2011-15', published on 8 February 2011, was accompanied by a national health service management letter, which was issued to all chief executives at strategic health authorities in England and all chief executives of primary care trusts in England. The letter provides indicative trajectories of work force growth in full time equivalents for 2011-12 at a regional, strategic health authority level.
	Copies of the Implementation Plan and management letter have already been placed in the Library.
	Strategic health authorities will need to work with their primary care trusts to commission against the commitment of increasing overall numbers of health visitors by 4,200 (full-time equivalent) by April 2015.

Maternity Services: Finance

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the NHS's budget for maternity services is in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Primary care trust (PCT) baseline allocations for 2010-11 and 2011-12 have been announced. No national budgets have been set for maternity services.
	We have set out our intention to protect the national health service budget in line with inflation over the course of the spending review, and NHS funding for maternity services is within this total.
	It is for PCTs to determine how much to spend on maternity services in the light of local circumstances and the NHS Operating Framework. The provision of safe, high quality maternity services, which are focused on improving both outcomes for women and babies and women's experience of care, is a priority for the NHS in the Outcomes Framework for 2011-12 that was published on 20 December 2010. A copy has already been placed in the Library.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys of 16 December 2010.

Anne Milton: A reply to the letter from the hon. Member of 16 December 2010 was sent on 2 March 2011.

Mental Illness: Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisoners diagnosed with acute and severe mental illness were transferred to an appropriate healthcare setting in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: These data are collected on a quarterly basis and are shown in the following table. Data are not currently available beyond the first quarter of 2010-11.
	
		
			  Number of prisoners in England with acute and severe mental illness and who were transferred to appropriate healthcare settings: per quarter 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			   Q1  Q2  Q3  Q4  Total 
			 2006-07 300 313 341 264 1,218 
			 2007-08 296 300 319 280 1,195 
			 2008-09 342 307 335 294 1,278 
			 2009-10 320 323 356 268 1,278 
			 2010-11 268 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = not available  Source: Offender Health Quarterly Regional Prison Health Performance and Quality Indicators

Midwives: Insurance

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to assist independent midwives with access to professional indemnity insurance provided by the NHS.

Anne Milton: The Department is working with groups of independent midwives to encourage them to form social enterprises, which may help them negotiate contracts to deliver maternity services to the national health service.
	The Government published their response to Finley Scott's "Independent review of requirement to have insurance or indemnity as a condition of registration as a healthcare professional" at the end of 2010. Recommendation 20 of the review said:
	"In relation to groups for whom the market does not provide affordable insurance or indemnity, the four health departments should consider whether it is necessary to enable the continued availability of the services provided by these groups; and, if so, the health departments should seek to facilitate a solution".
	We agree with this recommendation and will take forward work on a case-by-case basis where this is appropriate.

Midwives: Training

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the budget to be allocated to midwifery training places following the implementation of the proposals in the public health White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Funding to support midwifery training is part of the Multi Professional Education and Training (MPET) budget allocated to strategic health authorities (SHAs) as part of the national health service central budget bundle. The MPET budget is not calculated on a profession specific basis and responsibility for how it is invested lies with SHAs.
	SHAs, in conjunction with their associated deaneries, higher education institutions, primary care trusts and NHS trusts are responsible for commissioning the appropriate level of midwifery training posts to meet the needs of the local population. From 2011-12 the SHAs and associated national health service organisations will be expected to take account of the training recommendations produced by the Centre for Workforce Intelligence when planning and commissioning their trainee numbers.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conditions a hospital must meet to achieve foundation status.

Simon Burns: The requirements for a national health service trust to achieve foundation trust status is set out in the publication 'Applying for NHS Foundation Trust Status-Guide to Applicants-. This is available on Monitor's website at:
	www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/home/becoming-nhs-foundation-trust/guidance-applicants-november-2008

NHS: Private Patients

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS hospitals provide treatment to private patients; and what the  (a) limit on numbers,  (b) income,  (c) expenditure and  (d) amount owed by private patients was for each such hospital in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: Only some of this information is available. The information that is collected centrally on income earned from private patients is provided below, separately for national health service trusts and for NHS foundation trusts.
	In respect of income, the figures have been placed in the Library. These figures represent income from private patients in NHS trusts for the last five years (2005-06 to 2009-10). The source of this data is the audited summarisation schedules, from which the NHS (England) Summarised Accounts are prepared.
	Those NHS trusts which do not have private patient income (in each year) are not included in the tables.
	The Department does not collect data from NHS foundation trusts (FTs). Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust. In the table, this is evident where the organisation name includes "Foundation Trust".
	Information on numbers of private patients, expenditure (on private patients), and the amount owed by private patients is not separately identifiable from the NHS trust audited summarisation schedules.
	FTs are currently restricted on the amount of income they can earn from private charges, otherwise known as the "private patient income cap", where each organisation is unable to earn in any financial year a higher proportion of its total income from private charges than it derived from private charges in the year 2002-03.
	The chairman of Monitor (the Independent Regulator of NHS FTs) has provided information on the amount of income derived from private charges by FTs in each of the last five years, as shown in the following table. Neither Monitor nor the Department holds the other information sought on numbers of private patients, expenditure (on private patients), and the amount owed by private patients.
	
		
			  FTs private patient income 
			  £ million 
			   Amount  Re-stated 
			 2004-05 73.3 - 
			 2005-06 98.4 - 
			 2006-07 124 - 
			 2007-08 165.6 165.2 
			 2008-09 189.8 190.1 
			 2009-10 223.5 - 
			  Note: FTs can restate the prior year's accounts, so the figure with restated is the new one but the other figure was also previously published.

Spinal Injuries: Surgery

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) complex spinal,  (b) scoliosis and  (c) primary anterior lumber surgery procedures have been carried out in each hospital trust in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: The available information is contained in the following tables. Following clinical coding advice, we are unable to provide data for complex spinal procedures as this is not a term which we are able to relate to available clinical codes.
	
		
			  Count of finished consultant episodes( 1)  where 'scoliosis surgery' was the main or secondary operative procedure( 2)  by hospital provider( 3) ,  2007-08 to 2009-10 
			  Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector( 4) 
			  Provider  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust 47 59 54 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust * 0 * 
			 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 31 0 * 
			 Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 20 34 35 
			 Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 79 76 49 
			 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust 6 * * 
			 Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 * 
			 East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust 0 * 0 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 111 86 127 
			 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 53 68 62 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 8 6 0 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 0 * 0 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 * 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * 0 * 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 43 43 66 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 79 71 66 
			 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 26 36 41 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 66 60 89 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 79 87 110 
			 Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust 50 16 32 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust * 58 72 
			 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 * 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 0 * 0 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 * 
			 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust 14 12 17 
			 Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust 6 12 20 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 354 329 343 
			 Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 101 96 100 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust * 0 * 
			 Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust 30 25 41 
			 Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust 69 57 60 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 11 16 26 
			 South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 43 41 23 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 48 50 71 
			 Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 * * 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 * 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust * * 10 
			 Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 17 32 22 
			 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 * * 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 39 44 33 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 0 * 0 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust * * 0 
			 Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 * 
			 Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Total 1,448 1,442 1,699 
		
	
	
		
			  Count of finished consultant episodes( 1)  where 'primary anterior lumbar surgery procedures' was the main or secondary operative procedure( 2)   for hospital providers( 3) , 2007-08 to 2009-10 
			  Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector( 4) 
			  Provider  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * 9 9 
			 Airedale NHS Trust 0 8 0 
			 Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust * 0 * 
			 Ashtead Hospital 0 * * 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust * * * 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 6 11 9 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * * 13 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 7 * 10 
			 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * 7 * 
			 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * 0 * 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation * * * 
			 BMI-Goring Hall Hospital 0 0 * 
			 BMI-The Beardwood Hospital 0 0 * 
			 BMI-The Hampshire Clinic 0 0 * 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 14 10 12 
			 Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 7 6 * 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 7 11 15 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 8 19 * 
			 Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust 0 21 10 
			 Claremont Hospital 0 * 6 
			 Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 19 24 7 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust * 0 * 
			 Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 9 * * 
			 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 * 
			 Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 0 * 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust * * * 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust * * 7 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust * * 12 
			 Fitzwilliam Hospital 0 * 8 
			 Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 * * 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 12 * * 
			 Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * 0 * 
			 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 21 20 18 
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust * * 0 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 6 7 * 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust * * * 
			 Horder Centre-St Johns Road 0 0 * 
			 Hull and East Riding Hospital * 0 0 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust * * * 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 15 21 19 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust * * * 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 8 0 * 
			 Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * * 0 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 8 28 43 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 10 9 0 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 21 36 24 
			 Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 9 7 7 
			 Medway NHS Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 0 * * 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0 * 0 
			 New Hall Hospital 0 0 * 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 20 18 18 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust * * * 
			 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 12 9 6 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 6 * 11 
			 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 9 * * 
			 North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 9 0 0 
			 North Downs Hospital 0 0 * 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust * 7 * 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust * * * 
			 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust * 6 * 
			 Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust * 0 0 
			 Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust * 24 21 
			 Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre PCT Trust * * 0 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals PCT Trust 15 29 33 
			 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals PCT Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 Plymouth Hospitals PCT Trust 13 11 9 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals PCT Trust 12 15 24 
			 Princess Alexandra Hospital PCT Trust * 6 * 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn PCT Trust * 0 + 
			 Regency Hospital 0 * 0 
			 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust * * * 
			 Rotherham PCT Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 Royal Berkshire PCT Foundation Trust 7 * * 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter PCT Foundation Trust 58 50 72 
			 Royal Free Hampstead PCT Trust * * * 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital * * 6 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital PCT Trust 103 64 93 
			 Royal Orthopaedic Hospital PCT Foundation Trust 31 20 16 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath PCT Trust * * * 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals PCT Trust 0 * * 
			 Salford Royal PCT Foundation Trust 7 8 10 
			 Salisbury PCT Foundation Trust * 0 * 
			 Sheffield Children's PCT Foundation Trust 7 6 7 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals PCT Foundation Trust 7 10 ¦* 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital PCT Trust * * * 
			 South Tees Hospitals PCT Foundation Trust 19 20 30 
			 Southampton University Hospitals PCT Trust 6 7 11 
			 Southend University Hospital PCT Foundation Trust 15 21 15 
			 Spire Bushey Hospital 0 0 * 
			 Spire Cheshire Hospital 0 * * 
			 Spire Fylde Coast Hospital 0 0 * 
			 Spire Manchester Hospital 0 * 0 
			 Spire Roding Hospital 0 * * 
			 Spire Washington Hospital 0 * * 
			 St George's Healthcare PCT Trust 6 * * 
			 St Saviour's Hospital * 0 0 
			 Stockport PCT Foundation Trust * 10 25 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare PCT Trust * * 8 
			 Sussex Orthopaedic PCT Treatment Centre * * 0 
			 Tameside Hospital PCT Foundation Trust * 0 0 
			 Taunton and Somerset PCT Foundation Trust * 6 12 
			 Trafford Healthcare PCT Trust 0 * * 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals PCT Trust * * * 
			 University College London Hospitals PCT Foundation Trust 16 13 * 
			 University Hospital Birmingham PCT Foundation Trust * 11 11 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire PCT Trust 6 * * 
			 University Hospital of South Manchester PCT Foundation Trust 0 * 0 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire PCT Trust 36 40 8 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester PCT Trust * 0 * 
			 University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay PCT Trust * 0 0 
			 Walsall Hospitals PCT Trust * * * 
			 Walton Centre PCT Foundation Trust * * * 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals PCT Trust * * * 
			 Weston Area Health PCT Trust 0 * 0 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital PCT Trust * 10 8 
			 Whittington hospital NHS trust * 6 0 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare PCT Trust 6 * 0 
			 Winfield Hospital 0 0 * 
			 York Hospitals PCT Foundation Trust * * * 
			 Yorkshire Clinic 0 6 * 
			 Total (England) 737 821 846 
			  Notes: Small numbers To protect patient confidentiality, figures between one and five have been replaced with "*" (an asterisk). Where it was still possible to identify numbers from the total an additional number (the next smallest) has been replaced. (1) Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2(a)) Number of episodes with a (named) main or secondary procedure The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a 'cataract operation' would tend to have at least two procedures-removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one-counted in a single episode. The OPCS and ICD10 codes used for 'scoliosis surgery' are; V42.2 Epiphysiodesis of spinal apophyseal joint for correction of deformity V42.4 Anterior and posterior epiphysiodesis of spine for correction of deformity V42.5 Anterior epiphysiodesis of spine for correction of deformity NEC  V42.6 Posterior epiphysiodesis of spine for correction of deformity NEC. V41.1 Posterior attachment of correctional instrument to spine V41.2 Anterior attachment of correctional instrument to spine V41.3 Removal of correctional instrument from spine V41.4 Anterior and posterior attachment of correctional instrument to spine V41.8 Other specified instrumental correction of deformity of spine V41.9 Unspecified instrumental correction of deformity of spine Please note that the assignment of the above codes is not limited to the treatment of scoliosis therefore the above OPCS code were used in combination with the relevant ICD-10 codes for the diagnosis 'scoliosis': M41.-Scoliosis M96.5 Postradiation scoliosis Q76.3 Congenital scoliosis due to congenital bony malformation The OPCS codes used for 'primary anterior lumbar surgery' procedures are as follows: (a) The following OPCS codes specifically classify primary anterior procedures/interventions performed on the lumbar spine: V25.7 Primary anterior corpectomy of lumbar spine and reconstruction HFQ V33.3 Primary anterior excision of lumbar intervertebral disc and interbody fusion of joint of lumbar spine V33.4 Primary anterior excision of lumbar intervertebral disc NEC V33.5 Primary anterior excision of lumbar intervertebral disc and posterior graft fusion of joint of lumbar spine V33.6 Primary anterior excision of lumbar intervertebral disc and posterior instrumentation of lumbar spine (b) The following codes classify primary anterior procedures that are not limited to the lumbar spine and may also be performed on other areas of the spine. Therefore a site code was added in a secondary position to the codes listed below in order to identify that the procedure was performed on the lumbar spine: V41.2 Anterior attachment of correctional instrument to spine V41.4 Anterior and posterior attachment of correctional instrument to spine V42.4 Anterior and posterior epiphysiodesis of spine for correction of deformity V42.5 Anterior epiphysiodesis of spine for correction of deformity NEC V44.2 Anterior decompression of fracture of spine As stated above, one of the following site codes must be assigned in a secondary position in order to identify that the procedure was performed on the lumbar spine: Z66.5 Lumbar vertebra Z67.5 Lumbar intervertebral joint Z67.6 Lumbosacral joint Z99.3 Intervertebral disc of lumbar spine  2(b) Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (3) Hospital Provider Any organisation acting as a provider of hospital care (e.g. an NHS Trust, NHS Foundation Trust or independent provider). Data from some independent sector providers, where the onus for arrangement of dataflows is on the commissioner, may be missing. Care must be taken when using these data as the counts may be lower than true figures. (4) Activity included: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

vCJD

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to screen  (a) the UK blood supply and  (b) blood donors for vCJD.

Anne Milton: No such screening can yet take place as at present as there are no validated blood screening tests for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease available. The Department, together with the United Kingdom Blood Services, continues to monitor scientific research and development in this area.

vCJD

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will assess the merits of removing the warning Risk of Adverse Reaction Infection Including vCJD from blood bags; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  for what reasons his Department places the warning Risk of Adverse Reaction Infection Including vCJD on blood bags.

Anne Milton: To comply with the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice the United Kingdom Blood Services place warnings on blood bags as a final alert to clinical staff that blood components, being of human origin, always carry a potential risk of transmission of infection. Transfusions can also cause other unpredictable side effects, such as allergic reactions. Though fortunately any such events are rare, there is no intention to remove warnings from blood bags.
	Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is mentioned specifically on blood pack labels because it is a relatively new and rare infection. There have been three cases where blood has been the presumed route of vCJD transmission, all from donations in 1999 or before, from donations where the donor later went on to develop clinical vCJD to a recipient who themselves later went on to develop clinical vCJD.

vCJD

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure the provision of advice to people who are about to receive blood or blood components on the risk of infection of vCJD.

Anne Milton: Guidance from the Department places responsibility on Hospital Transfusion Committees to ensure that patients who are likely to receive a blood transfusion are given timely information, informing them of the indication for transfusion, the risks and benefits of transfusion, and any available alternatives to transfusion.
	NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) provides a patient information leaflet for hospital staff to give to patients who may receive a transfusion. It indicates that patients should be told that transfusions should only be given if the benefits outweigh the risks, and they should be informed of alternatives to transfusion if these are appropriate and available. The infective risks of blood transfusion are clearly stated. The section on variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) specifically states:
	"Although the risk of getting variant CJD is probably low from a single transfusion, the risk of any infection will increase with additional blood transfusions. Each year approximately 2 million units of blood are transfused in England, and there have just been a handful of cases where patients are known to have become infected with vCJD from a blood transfusion."
	The leaflet is publicly available on the NHSBT website at:
	http://hospital.blood.co.uk/library/pdf/INF_PCS_HL_001_05_will_i_need_leaflet_ENGLISH.pdf

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Kosovo: Human Rights

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps  (a) he and  (b) the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe plan to take in response to the recommendations addressed to the member states of the EU and to other contributing states in Resolution 1782 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, passed on 25 January 2011, on the investigation of allegations of inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo.

David Lidington: Council of Europe colleagues will each reach their own independent decisions as to what steps they might take in response to the recommendations set out in Resolution 1782.
	The Government expect any allegations of the kind raised in Dick Marty's report to be treated seriously. We therefore fully support the decision of the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) to open a preliminary investigation and believe that EULEX has the mandate, authority and jurisdiction to conduct such an investigation.
	We welcome the Government of Kosovo's public undertakings to cooperate with this investigation, as most recently underlined by Acting Foreign Minister Citaku at the United Nations Security Council last month.
	The Government continue to call for all relevant individuals and organisations to respond to any requests from EULEX for information or evidence.

Kosovo: Human Rights

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment  (a) he and  (b) the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe have made of the allegations in Resolution 1782 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, passed on 25 January 2011, on the investigation of allegations of inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo.

David Lidington: Council of Europe colleagues will each reach their own independent assessments of the allegations set out in Resolution 1782 and what steps they might take in response.
	These are serious allegations and the Government believe they must be investigated thoroughly. We therefore fully support the decision of the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) to open a preliminary investigation and believe that EULEX has the mandate, authority and jurisdiction to conduct such an investigation.
	We welcome the Government of Kosovo's public undertakings to cooperate with this investigation, as most recently underlined by Acting Foreign Minister Citaku last month at the United Nations Security Council.
	The Government continue to call for all relevant individuals and organisations to respond to any requests from EULEX for information or evidence.

North Africa and Middle East: Press Freedom

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the safety of journalists in  (a) Libya,  (b) Tunisia,  (c) Yemen,  (d) Morocco,  (e) Bahrain,  (f) Iran and  (g) Algeria.

Alistair Burt: The information requested is as follows.
	 Libya
	We have serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Libya which we continue to raise. The UK drove through a UN Security Council Resolution which demanded the lifting of restrictions on the internet and media and an end to the intimidation and detention of journalists. We are clear that the Libyan regime must heed the calls of the international community. We note that the Libyan Government has recently opened its borders to foreign journalists.
	 Tunisia
	During the Ben Ali regime media was heavily restricted and there were regular reports of journalists imprisoned for negative coverage of the Government. Since Ben Ali left Tunisia on 14 January 2011 the press have experienced unprecedented freedom. With the country undergoing significant reform we will be monitoring this situation closely over the coming months.
	 Yemen
	While legislation exists in Yemen to protect media freedoms, in practice self-censorship is widespread as independent media, especially if allegedly linked to those opposed to the Government of Yemen, face sustained Government harassment.
	In September 2010, the EU issued a demarche criticising the treatment of journalists opposed to government policy. Recent reports from Yemen suggest increasing violence against journalists who are covering the internal protests. We have made clear to the Yemeni Government that this is unacceptable.
	 Bahrain
	The Bahraini constitution guarantees freedom of the press however there is an element of self-censorship in independent media and internet censorship does occur. On 14 February 2011 the Bahraini Government pledged to enter into discussions with media organisations to expand the media freedoms in Bahrain. We have seen no changes to freedom of the media in Bahrain during the course of the recent unrest during which Bahrain continued to host a wide range of international and local journalists.
	 Morocco
	We assess that it is safe for journalists to operate in Morocco.
	Morocco recently introduced a press code to professionalise the operations of the media. We are not aware of any incidences of violence against journalists working in Morocco but there are some clear red lines; criticism of the King, Islam and questioning the territorial integrity of Western Sahara is not permitted.
	 Iran
	In Iran, freedom of the media is tightly restricted by the Government and therefore the movements and activities of journalists are closely controlled and some foreign news agencies are denied entry into the country. The BBC is one such agency which has, together with other reputable international broadcasters, experienced a campaign of jamming by Iran of its Persian television service when seeking to broadcast news and current affairs programmes to the Iranian people.
	Foreign journalists seeking to cover events in Iran have been subject to arrest on serious criminal charges, including espionage.
	 Algeria
	We are not aware of any recent violence against journalists in Algeria. The print media enjoys relative freedom, with commentators and journalists able to openly criticise the Algerian Government including criticism of the President. The Algerian Government have recently committed to lift limitations on the broadcast media. While Algerian journalists are generally able to operate without undue restrictions, access to Algeria by foreign journalists is not straightforward.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the UN Secretary-General on the human rights of people in Sri Lanka.

Alistair Burt: Neither I nor the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), have recently discussed Sri Lanka with the UN Secretary-General, but we maintain close contact with UN agencies on the ground. During my recent visit to Sri Lanka, I met with these agencies in Colombo and Jaffna to hear their assessment of the current situation.
	We continue to have concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. We made clear in 2010 that we welcomed the establishment of the UN Secretary-General's Panel of Experts in June. The panel's work continues and we await its findings.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Medals

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the review of the rules governing the awarding of medals to armed forces personnel.

Andrew Robathan: The Government have honoured the pledge to undertake a review of the rules governing the awarding of medals. The review recently reported its findings to Defence Ministers. The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minster will now evaluate these proposals before any final conclusions are reached.

Departmental Information Officers

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 383-4W, on departmental information officers, what the estimated cost to his Department was of the employment of press and communications officers in 2009-10.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 2 March 2011
	Communicators are employed across Defence and the armed forces. They have an important task in explaining to the public, the media, our own people and other audiences-at the local regional, national and international levels-the role of Defence, Defence activities, capabilities and operations. Main effort for Defence communicators at present is explaining our mission in Afghanistan. They comprise military and civilian personnel deployed to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Head Office. The majority are located in the service commands and units outside London including people working on service recruitment. The total cost of Defence communicators-covering all the various communications functions-identified during a cross Government Cabinet Office led exercise in financial year 2009-10 was £32.5 million. Further reductions have been made during the last financial year and we expect to see further cost savings as part of the civilian reductions being made at the MOD.

Hawk Aircraft

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual operating cost of the  (a) Hawk T1 and  (b) Hawk T1A aircraft was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: Information is not held in the format requested. The Ministry of Defence calculates the operating cost of aircraft per flying hour based on historic data.
	The current average costs per flying hour, for financial year 2010-11, are provided in the following table. The figures include forward and depth servicing, fuel, crew and training costs and the cost of capital charge, depreciation and amortisation.
	
		
			  Hawk TI/TIA  Estimated cost per hour (figures rounded) (£) 
			 Hawk (RAF Training on 100 Squadron, 19 (Reserve) and 208 (Reserve) Squadrons) 10,000 
			 Hawk (Royal Navy) 7,000 
			 Hawk (Royal Air Force Aerobatics Team) 6,000 
		
	
	The operating cost for RAF Hawk training aircraft on 100, 19 (Reserve) and 208 (Reserve) Squadrons includes elements for simulators and other training infrastructure.

HMS Cumberland

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely savings to the public purse arising from the decommissioning of HMS Cumberland over the comprehensive spending review period;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the likely weekly cost to the public purse of maintaining HMS Cumberland once it is decommissioned;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the operational costs of HMS Cumberland for 2010-11.

Peter Luff: In order to deal with the deficit in the defence budget and contribute to wider deficit reduction, a decision was taken as part of the strategic defence and security review to withdraw from service the remaining four Type 22 Frigates, including HMS Cumberland. The savings arising from this decision will include overheads and other costs relating to the operation of a class of ship. Therefore, the precise savings arising from the withdrawal of an individual ship are not separately identifiable. The total savings from withdrawing all four ships are estimated at some £240 million across the comprehensive spending review period.
	It is not possible at this stage to state the costs of maintaining HMS Cumberland following her decommissioning as work is ongoing to identify the optimum disposal route.
	The projected operating cost for HMS Cumberland in financial year 2010-11, based on actual costs to February 2011 and those estimated for the remainder of the financial year is £16 million.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Commando helicopter force; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The Strategic Defence and Security Review confirmed the continuing requirement for the Commando Helicopter Force, based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, particularly in relation to the helicopter lift requirements for littoral manoeuvre.
	It remains our intention to transfer the Merlin Mk 3/3a helicopters to the Commando Helicopter Force to replace the Sea King Mk 4 helicopters which go out of service by 2016 on current plans. The force's fleet of Lynx helicopters will be replaced by Wildcat attack helicopters.

Type 26 Frigates

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects the Type 26 frigates to be brought into service.

Peter Luff: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 October 2010,  Official Report, column 202W, to the hon. Member for Glasgow South West (Mr Davidson).

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Homes and Communities Agency

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an equality impact assessment was undertaken in respect of the new investment framework for the Homes and Communities Agency.

Grant Shapps: The Department will shortly be publishing an equality impact assessment for affordable rent, the principle element within the Affordable Homes Programme Framework published by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Homes and Communities Agency on 14 February 2011.

Council Tax

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which 10 local authorities collected the lowest proportion of council tax due in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the estimated monetary value of the uncollected tax was in each case.

Bob Neill: A list of the 10 local authorities in England that collected the lowest proportion of council tax due in 2009-10, the latest period for which data are available, along with details of the estimated monetary value of the uncollected tax are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Estimated net collectable debit in respect of 2009-10 council tax (£000)  Total receipts of 2009-10 council tax in 2009-10 (£000)  Receipts of 2009-10 council tax by 31 March 2010 as a percentage of net collectable debit  Amount of 2009-10 council tax not collected by 31 March 2010 (£000) 
			 Manchester 121,633 110,509 90.9 11,124 
			 Salford 80,582 73,709 91.5 6,873 
			 Lewisham 95,342 87,524 91.8 7,818 
			 Southwark 94,027 86,325 91.8 7,702 
			 Newham 64,939 59,748 92.0 5,191 
			 Haringey 96,374 89,247 92.6 7,127 
			 Hackney 68,370 63,466 92.8 4,904 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 75,178 69,838 92.9 5,340 
			 Barking and Dagenham 50,666 47,085 92.9 3,581 
			 Bradford 150,253 140,561 93.6 9,692 
		
	
	This information is available in Table 5 of the Statistical Release 'Collection rates for council tax and non-domestic rates in England 2009-10' that is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/counciltax/collectionrates/
	The in-year collection rate is the amount received by 31 March in respect of that financial year's council tax shown as a percentage of the net collectable debit in respect of that year's council tax, i.e. the income authorities would collect if everyone liable had paid. The figures exclude council tax benefit as this is paid directly to the local authority by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
	Collection of council taxes continues once the financial year to which they relate has ended. This means that the final collection rate achieved is somewhere between the figures shown here and 100%.

Forests

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what his policy is on the inclusion of requirements relating to biodiversity for wildlife in woodland and forests in his Department's review of planning guidance;
	(2)  what his policy is on specifying in planning guidance his Department's issues to local authorities the degree of protection for ancient woodland.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to retain the protection from development for ancient woods and trees contained in Planning Policy Statement 9 in the single National Planning Policy Framework; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Protection for ancient woodland in the existing guidance will be carried over to the National Planning Policy Framework for England. We will look at the inclusion of requirements relating to biodiversity for wildlife in woodland and forests as part of the process for preparing the National Planning Policy Framework.

Government Offices for the Regions

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of closing the Government Offices of the Regions; and what proportion of such costs arise from  (a) redundancy,  (b) premises and  (c) other costs.

Greg Clark: holding answer 28 February 2011
	The closure of the Government offices on 31 March is part of the Government's policy of decentralisation and localism and will free local authorities and other public services from unnecessary bureaucracy. Closure will also make a contribution to reducing the public sector deficit while protecting front line services.
	The cost of running the Government office network in the financial year 2010-11 is expected to be just under £100 million. As a result of closure, this annual cost will be saved. The estimated cost of the closure of the Government offices (spread across 2010-11 and 2011-12) is £59.1 million, well under the annual cost. This cost of closure is made up of:
	 (a) £53.6 million for redundancy and associated staff release costs;
	 (b) £1.1 million for premises costs; and
	 (c) £4.4 million for other costs (for the write off or impairment of existing assets).

Homelessness: Young People

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people aged 16 and 17 years were accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by local authorities in England in each quarter since Q1 of 2009.

Grant Shapps: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households rather than people. The number of households accepted by local authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty, is not collected by specific ages, but since June 2006 data has been provided by the age band into which the applicant falls. These age bands include 16 to 24-year-olds, 25 to 44-year-olds, 45 to 59-year-olds, 60 to 64-year-olds, 65 to 74-year-olds, and 75-year-olds and over. Data is provided in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, available both in the Library of the House and via the DCLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	The latest release was published on 9 December 2010 and contains data from June 2006 up to September 2010. Table 11 of the release contains details of acceptances by age band in each quarter since 2006:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1791620.xls

Housing Revenue Accounts

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  which local authorities his Department has consulted on the ring-fencing of housing revenue accounts receipts following the introduction of self-financing; and how many of those local authorities consulted supported the ring-fencing of such receipts;
	(2)  what proportion of receipts from council house sales local authorities will be able to retain from 2015 onwards.

Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 111-12W.

Housing Revenue Accounts

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Housing Revenue Account is treated as a landlord account; and whether rents paid by tenants may be used other than for the benefit of tenants.

Andrew Stunell: The housing revenue account is a ring-fenced landlord account operated by all councils in England with 50 or more council homes. The main source of income in the housing revenue account is from rents and service charges. Transfers across the ring-fence are not routinely allowed.
	All expenditure within the housing revenue account must be accounted for under items 1-10 listed under part II, schedule IV of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 as amended.
	Fuller details of the operation of the housing revenue account can be found in the housing revenue account manual, which can be found on my Department's website
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hramanual0607

Housing: Construction

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport of 23 June 2010,  Official Report, column 100WH, what progress the Planning Inspectorate has made in developing a model condition to facilitate adoption of residential roads in new housing developments.

Bob Neill: The Planning Inspectorate is currently discussing with the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government a model condition which local planning authorities can use where they need to require that any residential roads proposed as part of a housing development are built to adoptable standards. It is intended that the model condition should be published by the Planning Inspectorate once it has been agreed.
	Roads cannot be adopted by using a planning condition-adoption has to be done by agreement with the highway authority but the local planning authority can resolve to grant permission subject to completion of an estate road planning agreement. If the proposed development includes improvement works to existing roads and these will be adopted the developer should be required to enter into an agreement under s.278 of the Highways Act.

Leisure Facilities: Finance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to monitor the levels of funding by local authorities for sports and leisure facilities;
	(2)  what guidance he has provided to local authorities on the effects on local sports and leisure facilities of the reduction in his Department's funding to fund such authorities.

Bob Neill: The Department provides unhypothecated formula grant to local authorities, which they use to meet locally identified priorities. This means there is no specific funding from the Department for sports and leisure facilities.
	We have no plans to issue guidance to local authorities on how they should spend their formula grant allocations. Councils are most effective when they have freedom to innovate and respond to what local people want, and this Government are committed to reducing the burdens on local authorities.
	The Department does collect revenue expenditure data from all local authorities in England, including information on recreation and sports services-available at
	www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/revenueexpenditure/
	These data can be used to see how much local authorities are spending on their sports and leisure facilities.
	Transparency should underpin everything that councils do. All council business should be open to public scrutiny-whether it is expenditure, senior pay, council expenses or voluntary sector funding. The Government are consulting on a code of recommended practice to enshrine the principles of data transparency and to set out the minimum data that should be published.

Local Government: Pay

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issued to local authorities on the work of remuneration committees in local authorities in determining pay packages for authority employees prior to May 2010.

Bob Neill: No departmental guidance was issued to local authorities on the work of remuneration committees in determining pay packages for local authority employees prior to May 2010. Provisions in the Localism Bill will ensure that future decisions of elected members, in full council, will now be transparent and demonstrate a greater degree of local democratic accountability in such matters.

Public Expenditure

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have not yet published online details of expenditure of sums over £500.

Bob Neill: All local authorities in England, except Nottingham city council, have published details of their £500 spend online. It is disappointing that the council leadership are refusing to be open about their spending; such information would help the council cut waste and inefficiency and so help protect frontline services. We want transparency to underpin everything councils do. All council business should be open to public scrutiny whether it is expenditure, senior pay, councillor expenses or voluntary sector funding. We are currently consulting on a Code of Recommended Practice to enshrine the principles of data transparency and set out the minimum data that should be published.

Public Expenditure

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse of employer contributions to the Local Government Pension Scheme for local authority staff, including staff with pension arrangements covered under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: In 2009-10, the latest year for which information is available, local authority employers in England contributed £5.8 billion to the Local Government Pension Scheme. This includes the cost for staff who are the subject of a transfer to which the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations apply.
	This information is available in Table 2 of the Statistical Release 'Local Government Pension Scheme funds England 2009-10' that is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/pensionscheme/

Right to Buy Scheme

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has considered the merits of extending the  (a) Right to Buy and  (b) Right to Acquire home ownership scheme to cover properties categorised as sheltered accommodation.

Grant Shapps: There are no plans to review the provisions which exclude certain types of property from the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire scheme. This is to ensure that social landlords are able to retain a stock of housing that is suitable for occupation by vulnerable people, in particular those who are elderly or disabled, or those who need a particular level of support.

Sewers

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what reporting requirements in relation to unadopted sewers there are for local authority searches.

Bob Neill: There are no reporting requirements for local authority searches in relation to unadopted sewers.

Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the number of socially-rented properties of each number of bedrooms to be allocated by local authorities and registered social landlords to meet demand arising from social tenants of working age moving to properties warranted by their household size;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the number of socially-rented properties of each number of bedrooms in each region to be allocated by local authorities and registered social landlords to meet demand arising from social tenants of working age moving to properties warranted by their household size.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not available. This Department has allocated £13 million over the next four years to help local authorities support under-occupying social tenants who wish to move.

Third Sector

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the list of payments to charities and voluntary groups published in his Department's resource accounts for 2009-10, if he will publish a similar list of payments for 2010-11 to date, based on the unaudited records held by his Department.

Bob Neill: The Department's resource accounts will include a list of the payments made under section 70 of the Charities Act 2006 for the 2010-11 financial year in order to fulfil the reporting requirements included within the legislation.

JUSTICE

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Public Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what resources he plans to allocate to alternative dispute resolution and mediation over the comprehensive spending review period.

Jonathan Djanogly: Government are committed to encouraging the public to resolve their issues out of court without recourse to public funds, using simpler, more informal remedies where they are appropriate.
	On 23 February I announced that we will be increasing awareness and understanding of family mediation through a new pre-application protocol for family mediation information and assessment meetings. This will harmonise the position between self-funding and publicly funded individuals.
	In our recent legal aid consultation paper we proposed that most family private law proceedings-other than cases where domestic violence or forced marriage is involved and child abduction cases-be removed from the scope of legal aid. Crucially, however, as we believe that supporting families at their most difficult moments is vitally important, it is proposed that free mediation for the types of dispute that previously were in scope will continue to those who are eligible. This will mean that those vulnerable people who need support will be able to benefit from mediation.
	In 2009-10, we spent £14.4 million on publicly funded family mediations. With the proposed legal aid reforms, it is anticipated that, subject to increased demand for publicly funded mediations, an additional £5 million will be spent annually.
	We are considering how increased use of alternative dispute resolution could be further encouraged across the civil, family and administrative justice system.

Belmarsh Prison

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps have been taken at HM Prison Belmarsh to ensure the prison complies with requirements under the Equality Act 2010 following the settlement of the disability discrimination claim of Abdullah Baybasin.

Crispin Blunt: Following the settlement of the claim a full review of the living accommodation at Belmarsh has been undertaken, taking account of the location and the need of those with disabilities. Conversion of two cells into one, to ensure their compliance with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, is due to commence shortly in three areas of the prison, and is expected to be completed within 12 weeks of commencement.

Citizens' Advice Bureaux: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will assess the likely effects on citizens advice bureaux in North Wales of the planned reduction in the legal aid budget;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the provision of face-to-face legal advice through the Welsh language in Wales of his proposals for legal aid reform.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are mindful of their responsibilities in relation to Wales and the Welsh language. Impact assessments will be published alongside the Government response to the legal aid consultation later this year.

Courts: Costs

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department of proposed weekend court openings in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of magistrates courts that open on a Saturday are determined by ongoing discussion between local magistrates courts Justices' Issues Groups and the relevant criminal justice agencies. The number of courts that open and the length of actual sittings may vary significantly depending on the number and nature of cases that are brought top court. HMCS is committed to ensuring that any weekend court openings are efficient and effective and keeps the level of such sittings under close local scrutiny.
	No estimate has been made of the cost of weekend court openings from 2011-15. The current cost of weekend court openings are not held centrally. To provide the information requested would require a manual retrieval of information/data from each court, to obtain which would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies are issued with passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer to him on 10 February 2011,  Official Report, column 402W.

Deposit Protection Service Regulations

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many successful cases were brought against landlords by tenants for  (a) breach of Deposit Protection Service regulations and  (b) not paying deposits into the deposit protection scheme in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice does not hold any statistical information about county court claims or orders relating specifically to a breach of Deposit Protection Service regulations or non payment of deposits into the deposit protection scheme.
	While the administrative computer system used in the county courts of England and Wales contains the incidence of claims issued and orders made in such cases, the information held does not enable these cases to be separately identified. The requested information could only be obtained through the examination of individual case files held at courts which would incur disproportionate cost.

Divorce

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will discuss with the Minister for Women and Equalities the potential effects on the ability of people in abusive relationships to  (a) complete divorce proceedings,  (b) separate finances following divorce,  (c) resolve property matters following relationship breakdown and  (d) enable safe child contact of his proposed changes to eligibility for legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government's consultation on its proposals for the reform of legal aid closed on 14 February. The proposals were cleared through the Home Affairs Committee in the usual way. The Ministry of Justice is currently considering responses to the consultation, and will hold discussions with interested parties across Government before publishing a response.

Employment Tribunals

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost to the public purse of a case heard at an employment and support allowance appeal tribunal was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The average cost of processing a social security appeal is £282.
	This figure is calculated by dividing the total expenditure (including overheads) in 2009-10 by the total number of cases disposed of in that year. Benefit-specific calculations are not provided because of the high degree of apportionment of costs which would be required.

Food

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects his Department to meet the Government's commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) (which includes the National Offender Management Service (NOMS)) supports the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in introducing Government Buying Standards (GBS) for food. This is intended to encourage the public sector to procure food in a manner that promotes sustainable development and does not discriminate against local and UK suppliers.
	The MoJ and its contractors continue to look for opportunities to enable domestic producers to compete for supply contracts while seeking to achieve value for money for the taxpayer and for those using the services provided.
	All products supplied to the MoJ must comply with all current and subsequent relevant UK and EU legislation, regulations and directives. The suppliers are required to provide products that are sourced in compliance with EC Regulations and from assured providers under animal welfare conditions that are compatible with the UK animal welfare regulations.
	The MoJ is committed to ensuring food procured, meets British standards of production or their equivalent, wherever this can be achieved without increasing overall costs.

Home Detention Curfews

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for early release under the home detention curfew scheme have been made in each of the last five years; how many such applications were approved; how many applications were made under exceptional circumstances; and how many of the applications made under exceptional circumstances were approved in each such year.

Crispin Blunt: The number of applications for early release on home detention curfew (HDC) are not collated centrally. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the total number of applications made in the last five years.
	However, using the data that is held centrally, the following table shows the number of prisoners released on HDC during the period between 2005 and 2009:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 17,296 
			 2006 13,666 
			 2007 11,428 
			 2008 11,721 
			 2009 11,534 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. They are published within Chapter 9 of the Ministry of Justice Statistics bulletin "Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2009" available from the Library of the House and also available free at the following website address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	The Department does not collate data on the number of applications citing exceptional circumstances but governors are asked to send details of presumed unsuitable releases, together with reasons why release was granted, to the departmental policy team. During the period between 2005 and 2009 the team received notifications in relation to 70 offenders who were granted early release on home detention curfew, having shown that there were exceptional circumstances in their cases.

Home Detention Curfews

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners convicted of each category of offence and who were released early under the home detention curfew scheme due to exceptional circumstances would not otherwise have been eligible for the scheme in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Only prisoners who are eligible statutorily for release under the home detention curfew (HDC) scheme, and who passed the risk assessment, may be released under it. The requirement to show exceptional circumstances is a separate test for those who are presumed unsuitable for release by length of sentence or nature of offending. We do not hold data on the number of prisoners who satisfy the exceptional circumstances test but fail the risk assessment.

Legal Advice and Assistance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential effects on access to legal advice in rural and remote areas of his proposals for legal aid reform;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects on law firms specialising in family law of the planned reduction in the legal aid budget.

Jonathan Djanogly: The potential impacts of the reform proposals are detailed in the impact assessments that accompanied the publication of the consultation paper. These will be updated and published alongside the response to consultation.

Legal Services Commission

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what functions previously undertaken by the Legal Services Commission are  (a) being undertaken or  (b) in the process of being undertaken by his Department as a consequence of the recommendations of the Magee Review on the delivery of legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) runs legal aid services in England and Wales in support of ministerial and departmental strategic and policy aims. It continues to undertake all activities necessary to manage the delivery of legal aid services. The Magee review made a number of recommendations to strengthen and improve the legal aid system. My Department has worked with the LSC to enable improvements to be made to existing processes, particularly in terms of governance and financial management and control. A revised framework document has been published, detailing roles and responsibilities and relationships between the two bodies. The Magee report also presented options for further investigation, including the restructure of the LSC to an Executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. The Government have stated their intention to abolish the LSC as a non-departmental public body and replace it with an Executive agency of the MoJ. Legislation to return statutory responsibilities, functions and powers to the Lord Chancellor will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Licence: Prosecutions

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in West Yorkshire Police Force area were prosecuted for offences related to not having a television licence in each year since 2005.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for the offence of television licence evasion under the Communications Act 2003, in the West Yorkshire Police Force Area from 2005 to 2009 (latest available) is given in the table.
	Court proceedings data for 2010 are planned for publication in spring, 2011.
	Please note that the reply given to PQ 16068, 11 October 2010,  Official Report, column 153, overstated by 80 the number of persons proceeded against for television licence evasion in the West Yorkshire police force area for 2008. This will be noted in  Hansard and a link provided to the correct figure of 6,572.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for television licence evasion( 1, 2) , West Yorkshire police force area, 2005 to 2009( 3, 4) 
			   Number 
			 2005 5,333 
			 2006 5,293 
			 2007 5,928 
			 2008 6,572 
			 2009 7,621 
			 (1) For 2005 to 2007 as well as Television licence evasion, these data include proceedings for summary offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to 1967. (2) For 2008 to 2009 these figures relate to the offence Television Licence evasion-Communications Act 2003. (3) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the National Offender Management Service staff diversity review for 2009-10 will be published; and what the reason is for the time taken before publication.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service staff diversity review for 2009-10 will be published on 10 March 2011. Publication was initially delayed due to the need to divert resources to help support work on the spending review. It will now be published at the same time as the National Offender Management Service equalities annual report.

National Offender Management Service

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress he has made on implementing his proposals for a competition strategy for all offender management services.

Crispin Blunt: As set out in the Green Paper "Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders", we will publish a comprehensive competition programme for offender management services later this year.

Prison Service: Uniforms

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on uniforms for prison officers working in young offender institutions for persons aged between 15 and 17 in each year since 2006.

Crispin Blunt: The following table details the amount spent on staff uniforms, clothing and personal protective equipment for all prison staff working in the young offender establishments listed. It is not possible to separately identify expenditure on staff uniforms for prison officers only. To do so would require each establishment to separately examine a high volume of local records and thus would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			  YOIs  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Cookham Wood 21,710 31,552 32,525 34,766 18,870 
			 Hindley 51,533 63,512 65,830 35,632 47,094 
			 Warren Hill 23,064 43,553 19,168 18,332 13,579 
			 Werrington 13,470 15,275 15,544 11,569 11,469 
			 Wetherby 39,766 41,020 50,398 53,101 22,462 
			 Stoke Heath(1) 10,217 10,789 12,237 6,153 5,940 
			 Feltham(1) 8,960 28,768 19,604 13,480 15,183 
			 Downview(1) 1,012 1,115 1,211 822 523 
			 Eastwood Park(1) 812 1,115 1,503 911 797 
			 New Hall(1) 3,729 2,132 2,391 2,100 1,775 
			 Total 174,273 238,831 220,411 176,866 137,692 
			 (1) Denotes a split site. 
		
	
	The figures have been obtained from the National Offender Management Service's accounting system. With the exception of current year forecasts, the figures have been audited by the National Audit Office. The figures for split sites have been calculated on the basis of the number of beds currently designated to persons aged 15 to 17.
	The table does not include sites that have been decommissioned since 2006.

Prisoners

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many projects in prisons there are in which prisoners receive remuneration from a private company for the work undertaken.

Crispin Blunt: Prisoners undertaking work while in prison are not employed by the private company involved. This enables the governor/director to rightly retain primacy on prison control and prisoner management issues. Prisoner remuneration is the responsibility of the prison(1) and should as far as possible help them see the link between legitimate hard work and reward, and to enable them to make reparation to society and to victims of crime in particular.
	There are a number of private companies that support work and training in prisons and the Government are currently consulting on how best to work with the private and voluntary sectors to provide further work and training opportunities for prisoners, including an increased number of employer led workshops in prisons.
	(1) For prisons managed by the private sector it is the responsibility of the operating contractor to remunerate prisoners for the work they do.

Prisoners: Gender Recognition

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2010,  Official Report, column 281W, on prisoners: gender recognition, whether the final draft of the proposed Prison Service Instruction is complete; what the reason is for the time taken to submit it for Ministerial approval; and by what date he expects it to be  (a) approved and  (b) published.

Crispin Blunt: Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 on the care and management of transsexual prisoners was issued by the National Offender Management Service on 2 March 2011.
	Publication was preceded by a consultation with internal and external stakeholders and the taking of legal advice. Officials within the National Offender Management Service considered all the responses and advice before the Prison Service Instruction was issued.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  with which countries the UK has a treaty for the repatriation of foreign national prisoners;
	(2)  with which countries he expects the UK to sign treaties on the repatriation of foreign national prisoners in the next three years;
	(3)  how many foreign nationals of each country of origin serving custodial sentences in England and Wales have been repatriated to their home country in the last six months.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr Offord) on 1 March 2011,  Official Report, 410W, where the Government's policy on the negotiation of prisoner transfer agreements was set out. Negotiations with Nigeria, Jamaica, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are at various stages of completion. Negotiations with other countries will be considered on a case by case basis in line with the announced policy.
	The countries and territories with which the United Kingdom has prisoner transfer agreements are shown in the following lists 1 and 2. Table 1 gives the number of prisoners repatriated from England and Wales in each of the six months to 31 January 2011.
	 List 1: Countries which have prisoner transfer agreements with the UK
	Albania
	America
	Andorra
	Anguilla
	Antigua and Barbuda
	Armenia
	Australia
	Austria
	Azerbaijan
	Bahamas
	Barbados
	Belgium
	Bermuda
	Bolivia
	Bosnia Herzegovina
	Brazil
	British Virgin Island
	Bulgaria
	Canada
	Chile
	Cook Islands
	Costa Rica
	Croatia
	Cuba
	Cyprus
	Czech Republic
	Denmark
	Ecuador
	Egypt
	Estonia
	Finland
	France
	Georgia
	Germany
	Ghana
	Greece
	Grenada
	Honduras
	Hong Kong
	Hungary
	Iceland
	India
	Ireland
	Israel
	Italy
	Japan
	Korea
	Laos
	Latvia
	Lesotho
	Libya
	Liechtenstein
	Lithuania
	Luxembourg
	Macedonia
	Malawi
	Malta
	Mauritius
	Mexico
	Moldova
	Montenegro
	Morocco
	Netherlands
	Nicaragua
	Nigeria
	Norway
	Pakistan
	Panama
	Peru
	Poland
	Portugal
	Romania
	Russia
	Rwanda
	Samoa
	San Marino
	Serbia
	Slovakia
	Slovenia
	Spain
	Sri Lanka
	St Lucia
	Suriname
	Sweden
	Switzerland
	Thailand
	Tonga
	Trinidad and Tobago
	Turkey
	Ukraine
	Venezuela
	Vietnam
	Vietnam
	 List 2: Territories which have prisoner transfer agreements with the UK
	Aruba
	Bouvet Island
	British Indian O.T.
	Cayman Islands
	Dutch Antilles
	Falkland Islands
	Faroe Islands
	Gibraltar
	Henderson, Ducie and Oeno
	Montserrat
	Peter I Island
	Pitcairn
	Queen Maud Land
	St Helena and Dependencies
	Sovereign Base Areas of Akratri and Dhekelia (Cyprus)
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of foreign national prisoners transferred from England and Wales August 2010 to January 2011. 
			  Country  Number of prisoners transferred 
			 Belgium 2 
			 Bermuda 1 
			 Canada 1 
			 Cyprus 1 
			 Czech Republic 1 
			 Netherlands 10 
			 Pakistan 4 
			 Portugal 1 
			 Slovenia 1 
			 Turkey 2

Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress he has made on implementing his plans for working prisons.

Crispin Blunt: We set out our intention to make prisons places of work and industry in the Green Paper, "Breaking the cycle: Effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders", published on 7 December 2010. The consultation period ends on 4 March 2011, and the Ministry of Justice's response will be published in May 2011.

Prisons: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many inmates were held in HMP Birmingham in each of the last six months.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the prison population at HMP Birmingham on the last day of each month from July to December 2010.
	
		
			   Number of prisoners 
			 31 July 2010 1,428 
			 31 August 2010 1,463 
			 30 September 2010 1,450 
			 31 October 2010 1,443 
			 30 November 2010 1,442 
			 31 December 2010 1,420 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Closures

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what criteria are being used to determine which prison establishments will be closed; and what the decision-making process is;
	(2)  whether he has compiled a provisional list of prison establishments which are under consideration for closure;
	(3)  what the required notice period is for termination of the lease at HM Prison Lancaster Castle;
	(4)  what cost-benefit analysis has been carried out in respect of the proposed closure of HM Prisons Lancaster Castle and Ashwell.

Crispin Blunt: Decisions on the future size of the prison estate will be driven by prison population demand. Prisons will only close when capacity allows. We will ensure that there are enough places for those offenders sentenced to custody by the courts, including a margin to manage fluctuations in the prison population. Decisions to reduce or make changes to prison capacity will only be taken if they do not put this ability at risk.
	The prison population is under review following the announcements made earlier in the year about Lancaster Castle, Ashwell and Morton Hall prisons. No decisions have been taken about the need for further reductions in capacity. However any proposals for future closures will be based on the following primary factors:
	an economic assessment which identifies prisons that are inefficient to operate or maintain; and
	an operational assessment to consider whether the closures of prisons can be managed while continuing to maintain the safe and decent operation of the prison estate and to meet the needs of offenders.
	The prison estate as a whole is kept under review and is subject to consideration through the assessment process described above.
	Individual business cases were completed for each site which considered the cost of closure and the benefits that would be accrued.
	Lancaster Castle will close as a prison by the end of March 2011. There is a three year notice period in the lease and the site will be returned to the Duchy of Lancaster in due course.

Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision probation trusts in England and Wales make to issue staff with personal alarms.

Crispin Blunt: Appropriate provision of personal assistance alarms to staff is the responsibility of the individual probation trusts. National health and safety guidance to the probation service prescribes that personal alarms are to be available where there is a risk of assault and violence in the workplace.

Squatting

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation governing the removal of squatters from homes.

Crispin Blunt: We are looking at the options for strengthening the law in relation to squatting in residential and non-residential properties and the way in which it is enforced, but we are yet to reach any firm conclusions.

Victim Surcharge

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the amounts to be committed from the Victim Surcharge to each recipient in 2010-11.

Crispin Blunt: Proceeds from the Surcharge are ring-fenced to fund non-financial support services for victims and witnesses. Funds derived from the Surcharge will contribute to the following for 2010-11:
	£0.84 million to fund Independent Domestic Violence Adviser Services
	£2.6 million to the Crown Prosecution Service as a contribution to the cost of providing Witness Care Units
	£7 million to the Victim Support National Centre to fund enhanced services to victims and witnesses
	Additionally, £1.75 million has been allocated to the Victims Fund, which contributes to the funding of organisations who support victims of sexual violence, hate crime and homicide.
	The total budget for services provided above is £12.19 million. It is estimated that the Victim Surcharge contribution will be approximately £10.4 million in 2010-11.

Victim Surcharge

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the amount to be raised from the Victim Surcharge in 2010-11.

Crispin Blunt: It is estimated that approximately £10.4 million will be raised from the Victim Surcharge in 2010-11.
	This is based on recorded receipts from 1 April 2010 to 31 January 2011, extrapolated to the end of March 2011.

Violence: Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) instances of and  (b) threats of violence were recorded in (i) unpaid work placements, (ii) probation offices and (iii) approved premises in each probation trust in 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Instances and threats of violence against probation staff in (i) unpaid work placements, (ii) probation offices and  (iii) approved premises in each probation area, 2009-10 
			   Unpaid Work Placements  Probation Offices 
			  Area  Threat with intent to kill  Threatened with an offensive weapon  Physically assaulted  Intimidation  Total  Threat with intent to kill  Threatened with an offensive weapon  Physically assaulted  Intimidation  Total 
			 Avon and Somerset - - 1 - 1 - - 2 - 2 
			 Bedfordshire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Cambridgeshire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Cheshire - - 1 3 4 - - - - 0 
			 Cumbria - 1 - - 1 - - - - 0 
			 Derbyshire - - - 1 1 - - - - 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall - - - 2 2 - - - 1 1 
			 Dorset - - - - 0 - - - 1 1 
			 Durham - - - 1 1 - - - - 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Essex - - - 2 2 1 - - - 1 
			 Gloucestershire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Gwent - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Hampshire - - - 2 2 - - 2 11 13 
			 Hertfordshire - - - 2 2 - - - 2 2 
			 Humberside - - - - 0 - - 3 - 3 
			 Kent 1 - - - 1 - - - - 0 
			 Lancashire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Leicestershire - - - 3 3 - - 3 3 6 
			 Lincolnshire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 London - 1 1 38 40 - - 4 45 49 
			 Greater Manchester 4 - 3 60 67 -  2 10 12 
			 Merseyside - - - - 0 - 2 - - 2 
			 Norfolk - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Northamptonshire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Northumbria - 2 - 6 8 4 - - 9 13 
			 North Wales - - - - 0 - - - 4 4 
			 North Yorkshire - - - - 0 - - - 1 1 
			 Nottinghamshire - - - - 0 - - - 3 3 
			 South Wales - - - - 0 - - - 4 4 
			 South Yorkshire - - - - 0 - - - 6 6 
			 Staffordshire - - - - 0 - - - 1 1 
			 Suffolk - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Surrey - - - - 0 - - - 5 5 
			 Sussex(1) - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Teesside - - - 1 1 - - - 1 1 
			 Thames Valley 1 - - - 1 - - - - 0 
			 Warwickshire - - 1 - 1 - - 1 - 1 
			 West Mercia - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 West Midlands - - - - 0 - - 3 - 3 
			 West Yorkshire - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Wiltshire - - - - 0 - - - 1 1 
			 Total 6 4 7 121 138 5 2 20 108 135 
		
	
	
		
			   Approved Premises 
			  Area  Threat with intent to kill  Threatened with an offensive weapon  Physically assaulted  Intimidation  Total 
			 Avon and Somerset - - - - 0 
			 Bedfordshire - - - 4 4 
			 Cambridgeshire - - - - 0 
			 Cheshire - - - - 0 
			 Cumbria - - - - 0 
			 Derbyshire - - - - 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall - - - - 0 
			 Dorset - - - 4 4 
			 Durham - - - - 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys - - - - 0 
			 Essex - - - - 0 
			 Gloucestershire - - - - 0 
			 Gwent - - - - 0 
			 Hampshire - - 2 6 8 
			 Hertfordshire - - - - 0 
			 Humberside - - - 1 1 
			 Kent - - - - 0 
			 Lancashire - - - - 0 
			 Leicestershire - - 1 8 9 
			 Lincolnshire - - - - 0 
			 London - - - 2 2 
			 Greater Manchester 1 - 1 5 7 
			 Merseyside - 1 - - 1 
			 Norfolk - - - - 0 
			 Northamptonshire - - - - 0 
			 Northumbria 1 - 3 1 5 
			 North Wales - - - - 0 
			 North Yorkshire - - - - 0 
			 Nottinghamshire - - - - 0 
			 South Wales - - - - 0 
			 South Yorkshire - - - - 0 
			 Staffordshire - - - - 0 
			 Suffolk - - - - 0 
			 Surrey - - - - 0 
			 Sussex(1) - - - - 0 
			 Teesside - - 2 - 2 
			 Thames Valley 1 - - - 1 
			 Warwickshire - - - - 0 
			 West Mercia - - - - 0 
			 West Midlands - - - - 0 
			 West Yorkshire - - - - 0 
			 Wiltshire - - - - 0 
			 Total 3 1 9 31 44 
			 (1) Sussex Probation Area was unable to submit health and safety data during 2009-10, owing to local difficulties. Figures for the Trust are therefore not included within the totals provided.

Violence: Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what strategy his Department has developed to deal with threats of violence at work in the probation service in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service has issued national guidance to the probation service on health and safety matters. This includes specific guidance on violence in the workplace, as well as on lone working and risk assessment. Probation areas are required to have in place arrangements to ensure that all employees (including contractors' employees and agency staff) who come into any contact with offenders are suitably informed and trained (in proportion to the degree of contact) in handling situations of potential or actual violence.

Voluntary Work and Charitable Donations

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has a policy to encourage its employees to  (a) volunteer and  (b) donate via payroll giving.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice has policies that allow employees to take time off, within specified limits, to fulfil specific volunteering roles such as magisterial duties and school governors, and general volunteering. MoJ is also committed to supporting the civil service volunteering initiative announced by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Maude), on 17 February 2011.
	The Ministry of Justice has systems in place that allow all employees to donate via payroll giving, e.g. through 'Give As You Earn Scheme' or by employees making arrangements for voluntary deductions from pay.

Young Offenders

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for  (a) Communities and Local Government and  (b) Education on the resettlement of young offenders.

Crispin Blunt: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Education, Home Office, and Department of Health on all aspects of youth crime and youth justice.
	Ministry of Justice officials also work closely with colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government on the implications of the localism agenda for locally devolved Youth Offending Teams.
	We recognise that young people leaving custody are some of the most vulnerable young people in our society and that their effective resettlement is critical to breaking the cycle of offending. Young offenders have complex and wide ranging problems which require intensive support and access to services which can directly address their offending behaviour.
	The recent Green Paper proposals set out how we are considering introducing elements of payment by results into youth justice to incentivise local authorities to reduce youth offending, of which resettlement is a key part.

PRIME MINISTER

Arms Control

David Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to put in place firmer controls on the export of arms from the UK to non-democratic states.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 28 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 28-46.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes in Afghanistan his Department is funding.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) bilateral programme in Afghanistan covers three key areas: improving security and political stability; stimulating the economy; and helping the Afghan Government deliver vital basic services. DFID programmes have helped the Afghan Revenue Department to increase tax revenue from $200 million in 2004 to almost $1.3 billion in 2009-10; helped finance the salaries of almost 320,000 public servants (teachers and health workers); and enabled over 22,000 Community Development Councils to create 50,000 locally-generated projects to improve water, roads, health and education.
	Information on all the projects we fund in Afghanistan and elsewhere is published online at
	http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/Default.aspx?countrySelect=AF-Afghanistan

Africa: Agriculture

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assistance his Department plans to provide to smallholder farms in Africa in each of the next four financial years;
	(2)  what assistance his Department plans to provide through  (a) microfinance and  (b) vouchers to smallholder farms in Africa during the comprehensive spending review period.

Stephen O'Brien: The Government recognise the important contribution that smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, can make to reducing food insecurity and poverty in Africa.
	We are currently finalising our detailed plans for the next four years for each country programme including the different sectors they will support. These Country Operational Plans will be published later this spring and will detail spending in each sector including where we will be providing support for smallholder farming, microfinance and vouchers over the next four years.

Africa: Agriculture

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided for smallholder farms in Africa since the L'Aquila summit in 2009.

Stephen O'Brien: At the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy in 2009 the international community pledged $20 billion dollars in support of food security and agriculture. The UK agreed to contribute £1.1 (US$1.7) billion between 2009 and 2012. DFID has spent £408 (US$612) million for the financial year 2009-10. £98 million of this figure was spent on bilateral programmes In Africa.
	Many of the beneficiaries of these programmes will be poor rural workers and smallholder farmers in Africa. For example, DFID is co-funding a programme on land tenure reform in Rwanda which will result in 8 million smallholder farmers receiving land titles, leading to increased sense of ownership and increased investment in productive capacity. It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown of specific impacts on smallholder farmers as a group.

Cambodia: Non-governmental Organisations

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received from non-governmental organisations on the Cambodian Government's proposals to regulate non-governmental organisations and associations.

Alan Duncan: The British embassy in Phnom Penh and the Department for International Development's Cambodia Office (until its closure on 31 January 2011) have received regular representations from Cambodian and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) about the proposed law on NGOs and associations since it was announced as part of the Cambodian Government's legislative programme in 2008. Since the publication of the draft law in December 2010 the embassy has held numerous meetings with representatives of international and local NGOs, and received copies of their analysis and position papers on the draft law. The embassy has also received letters about the law from other interested organisations including Human Rights Watch, Global Witness and the Catholic international development network CIDSE.
	We welcome the constructive consultation process that has so far been carried out by the Cambodian Ministry of Interior, which appears to have actively addressed many concerns raised by non-governmental organisations. Our ambassador, together with EU colleagues, met with the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 March and the Ministry of Interior on 3 March to raise our concerns and discuss next steps On both occasions we received assurances that the Cambodian Government will take full account of the various representations so far made in the consultation process, and will consult further on a revised draft.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of his Department's adherence to each of the principles of good employment practice set out in the Cabinet Office publication Principles of Good Employment Practice.

Alan Duncan: The new principles of good employment practice set out in the Cabinet Office publication were disseminated to Departments at the end of December 2010. Departments were asked to raise awareness of these principles and disseminate them through their supply chain networks.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently conducting a review of procurement processes and practices. As part of the review, DFID will consider the most effective ways to raise awareness of these principles within the procurement process. The Public Services Forum will review the overall impact of this change in 2012.

Departmental Location

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will bring forward proposals to relocate  (a) staff and  (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has two UK headquarters, located in London and East Kilbride. We are currently transferring 70 posts from our London office to East Kilbride where we have around 500 staff.
	We do not have any plans at the moment to relocate either of our offices. Any future staff relocation is likely to be between our two existing UK sites.

Departmental Manpower

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many senior civil servants have left his Department's employ since May 2010; and what  (a) contractual and  (b) non-contractual payments have been made to such staff upon departure.

Andrew Mitchell: Since May 2010 20 senior civil servants have left the employ of the Department for International Development (DFID). Non contractual payments were not made to any of these leavers. Fifteen of the leavers received contractual payments in line with the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) actual and  (b) full-time equivalent staff have left his Department's employ since May 2010.

Alan Duncan: The number of actual and full-time equivalent staff who have left employment in the Department for International Development (DFID) since May 2010, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Actual  Full-time equivalent 
			 UK home civil servants 145 138.1 
			 Staff appointed in country (staff engaged locally overseas on local terms and conditions to support our development activities overseas) 99 99 
			 Total 244 237.1

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) actual and  (b) full-time equivalent staff were employed by his Department in May 2010.

Alan Duncan: The number of actual and full-time equivalent staff employed by the Department for International Development (DFID) in May 2010, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Actual  Full-time equivalent 
			 UK home civil servants 1,833 1,766.7 
			 Staff appointed in country (staff engaged locally overseas on local terms and conditions to support our development activities overseas) 776 773.8 
			 Total 2,609 2,540.5

Departmental Manpower

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) name,  (b) purpose,  (c) staffing level and  (d) estimated annual cost was of each new unit or team established in his Department since May 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has created the following new departments since May 2010:
	1. Private Sector Department (PSD): created in January 2011 as a direct result of the Strategic Reform Plan, PSD aims to raise the level, extent and effectiveness of DFID's engagement with the private sector. Although this is a new department, it is largely made up of pre-existing teams. It is estimated that when fully staffed, PSD will include around 24 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff. Operating costs of PSD are expected to be set just over £1.7 million per annum.
	2. Chief Professional Officer/Heads of Profession Unit: the fundamental aims of the new unit, established in January 2011, is to improve the provision of specialist advice to DFID's programmes. When fully staffed, the unit will comprise 19.5 FTE staff. Operating costs are expected to be just over £1.8 million per annum.
	3. A joint DFID and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) office in Juba, Southern Sudan (led by DFID): opened in July 2010 to develop DFID's programmes in Southern Sudan. DFID does not publish the number of staff in overseas locations because this may represent a security risk, especially to those serving is hostile environments or fragile states. Operating costs when fully staffed are expected to be around £2.4 million per annum.
	4. Corporate Hub: the purpose of the Hub is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Corporate Services Group. While this is a new unit, it was formed from existing corporate teams which have been streamlined and reduced in size. The Hub now includes 15 FTE staff. It has an annual operating budget of £0.5 million per annum.

Departmental Pay

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) total and  (b) average salary is of members of staff employed on fixed-term contracts in his Department.

Andrew Mitchell: The total salary of staff employed by the Department for International Development on fixed-term contracts, as at 31 January 2011, is £1.27 million, at a mean average salary of £48,839 per annum.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what regulations his Department introduced between 18 November 2010 and 8 February 2011.

Alan Duncan: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has not introduced any regulations since 18 November 2010 and is not responsible for any sets of regulations that are currently in force.

Departmental Travel

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on Ministerial travel since May 2010.

Alan Duncan: Details of overseas travel by Ministers between 31 May and 30 September 2010 are available on the Department for International Development's (DFID's) website. Details of overseas travel between 1 October and 30 December 2010 will be published on the website shortly. DFID is unable to provide details of ministerial travel in the UK without incurring disproportionate cost.

Disaster Relief

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the 10 largest public donations to national and international disaster relief organisations were for which the Government have provided match funding in the last 15 years.

Alan Duncan: The following table shows the 10 largest public contributions through the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (a grouping of 13 of the largest UK aid agencies) compared with Department for International Development (DFID) funding in response to the same disaster.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Top 10 emergencies based on public contributions to the Disasters Emergency Committee  Disasters Emergency Committee: Total funds raised  Total DFID funding 
			 South Asia tsunami (2004) 390,000,000 124,500,000 
			 Haiti earthquake (2010) 103,000,000 20,000,000 
			 Pakistan floods (2010) 69,000,000 134,000,000 
			 Pakistan earthquake (2005) 59,000,000 55,000,000 
			 Kosovo crisis (1999) 53,000,000 81,500,000 
			 Sudan emergency (2004) 35,000,000 64,500,000 
			 Niger food crisis (2005) 35,000,000 6,570,000 
			 Mozambique floods (2000) 30,000,000 22,000,000 
			 India earthquake (2001) 24,000,000 8,200,000 
			 Cyclone Nargis, Burma (2008) 20,000,000 45,000,000

Microfinance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided to microfinance organisations that are  (a) sustainable and  (b) not sustainable without donor funding in the last three years.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) rarely provides direct funding support to microfinance organisations. Our work on microfinance is incorporated into broader financial sector development programmes, which have a range of interventions including policy and regulatory reform, capacity building, product innovation and research. Programmes are often implemented by intermediaries, such as non-governmental organisations, central banks, Government agencies or in partnership with other donors. It is not therefore possible to identify specific microfinance institutions which may have benefitted from DFID's financial sector development programmes without incurring disproportionate cost.
	However, improving the self-sufficiency of financial institutions is a key objective of financial sector development programmes. For example, DFID's Financial Inclusion Programme, implemented through the State Bank of Pakistan (SPB), aims to increase the sustainability of the financial sector through capacity building, product development and regulatory reform. FIP also supports the transformation of donor-dependent, unregulated microfinance institutions into regulated microfinance banks and provides guarantees to help them access commercial financing.

Microfinance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations in Bangladesh have received funding from his Department and its predecessor for microfinance initiatives between  (a) 1990 and 2000 and  (b) 2000 and 2010.

Stephen O'Brien: Records prior to 1999 are not available. From 1999 onwards, the Department for International Development (DFID) provided support to the following microfinance organisations:
	 Palli Karma Sahayek Foundation (PKSF)
	An apex organisation currently receiving funding from DFID through the PRIME programme to avert seasonal hunger. Previously, received funding to provide onward loans in a microfinance pilot under the Rural Electrification Development Project.
	 The Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA)
	Currently receiving funding from DFID to strengthen the regulation of microfinance institutions.
	 The Institute of Microfinance (InM)
	Currently receiving DFID funding to carry out research and training on effective microfinance practices.
	 Concern Worldwide
	Received funding for its programme Promoting Economic Development of the Poor through Community Based Microfinance Initiatives.
	 CARE
	Supported by DFID in its CARE Income III project to increase the capacity of partner NGOs to support microenterprise and urban microfinance.
	 Proshika
	A Bangladesh NGO that provides microfinance services was supported by DFID through a multi-donor funded programme.

Microfinance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided in the last three years to microfinance organisations that have undergone an Initial Public Offering (IPO)  (a) before and  (b) after the IPO.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) rarely provides direct funding support to microfinance organisations. Our work on microfinance is incorporated into broader financial sector development programmes, which have a range of interventions including policy and regulatory reform, capacity building, product innovation and research. Programmes are often implemented by intermediaries, such as non-governmental organisations, central banks, Government agencies or in partnership with other donors.
	It is not therefore possible to identify specific microfinance organisations that may have benefited from DFID-supported financial sector development programmes without incurring disproportionate cost.

Overseas Aid

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether arrangements are in place to enable claw back or disallowance of aid-related funds that have not been spent appropriately.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has rigorous systems and procedures to ensure effective oversight of its funding and to ensure that UK aid achieves maximum value for money-reaching and delivering results for its intended recipients. This Government have a zero tolerance approach to fraud, corruption and other misuse. DFID takes the strongest action where any such abuse of taxpayers' funds is proven, including disciplinary, civil or criminal action as appropriate against those responsible. DFID works with partner organisations to ensure that similar standards are employed where UK funds are being managed externally.

Overseas Aid: Education

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is for the future funding of the Education for All Fast Track initiative.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) will continue to support the Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI). The level of future UK funding for FTI will be agreed prior to the FTI replenishment event scheduled for the autumn, and will reflect the outcome of the multilateral aid review assessments, published on 1 March.

Overseas Aid: Education

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to  (a) contribute to and  (b) work with his international counterparts towards closing the gap of $16 billion of external financing annually for Education for All.

Andrew Mitchell: The Government are committed to supporting access to basic services in the developing world. Education is a critical part of this, particularly for girls. We will continue to work with others towards achievement of the education Millennium Development Goals and the Education for All goals.
	The Government are working with international partners to improve education results, both through securing more resources for education and through more efficient use of existing resources. We are working with the Education for All Fast Track Initiative to support its reform process and a successful replenishment later this year. I have personally played an active leadership role in the '1 Goal' campaign, including travelling to South Africa for the 1 Goal World Cup summit last year. Our recently published reviews of UK aid commit us to supporting 11 million children in school overseas by 2014.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department had allocated to the Palestinian Negotiation Support Unit in  (a) 2011 and  (b) 2012.

Alan Duncan: In 2010-11 the Department for International Development (DFID) is providing support of up to £426,436 to the Negotiations Support Unit. £557,000 has been provisionally allocated for the financial year 2011-12. The exact figure will be determined by consultation currently under way between the donor group (UK, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark) and the Palestinian leadership about the nature and scale of technical assistance required by their negotiations team in the coming year.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided to the Palestinian Negotiation Support Unit in each year since 1999.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided assistance worth over £11 million to the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Negotiations Affairs Department (NAD) and the Negotiations Support Unit (which is based in NAD) since 1999. The following table gives the amount per financial year.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total (£) 
			 1999-2000 718,333 
			 2000-01 663,675 
			 2001-02 1,547,305 
			 2002-03 1,048,444 
			 2003-04 1,618.914 
			 2004-05 1,419,698 
			 2005-06 1,503,955 
			 2006-07 881,417 
			 2007-08 425,627 
			 2008-09 670,010 
			 2009-10 507.250 
			 2010-11 426,436 
			 Total 11,431.064

Payroll Deduction Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has a policy to encourage its employees to  (a) volunteer and  (b) donate via payroll giving.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has a formal policy to facilitate and encourage its employees to volunteer within their local community. Staff are entitled to up to five days' paid leave per annum to allow them to take part in volunteering or community activity.
	DFID does not have a formal policy to encourage employees to donate to charities. The Department does, however, have a mechanism for staff to donate via payroll giving and this arrangement is publicised to all staff via the internal staff intranet.

Sudan: Oil

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his Sudanese counterpart on facilitating an agreement on oil revenue between north and south Sudan.

Andrew Mitchell: During my visit to Khartoum and Juba in November 2010, I discussed the need to make urgent progress on outstanding Comprehensive Peace Agreement issues with both parties, including future arrangements for the division of oil revenues We support the work of Thabo Mbeki and the African Union High Level Panel on all post-referendum issues and I discussed the issue of oil revenue with President Mbeki and the Southern Sudan Minister for Regional Cooperation at the African Union Summit in January. The Norwegians have provided advice on the Sudanese oil sector for many years. We are working with the Norwegians to increase the Government of Southern Sudan's capacity to manage the energy sector.

UN Women

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support he is providing to the UN Women agency; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) strongly supports the creation of UN Women. Baroness Verma represented the UK at the official launch of UN Women on 24 February in New York, and had discussions with Michelle Bachelet, its executive director, beforehand to underline DFID's support. DFID's long-term funding commitments to UN Women will require a strategic plan that sets out a clear results framework outlining targets and expected impact. The strategic plan is due in June this year. In the meantime we have offered UN Women transitional funding and a secondment to allow them to set out the strongest possible plans for their work.

Yemen: Official Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings were held during the Minister of State's visit to Yemen; and what the outcomes of those meetings were.

Alan Duncan: During our visit, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I met President Ali Abdullah Saleh. We delivered three messages to him. First, on the need for his Government to make progress on the national dialogue with the opposition parties, in order to allow free and fair parliamentary elections to be held this year. Second, on the need for the Government of Yemen to produce a prioritised and budgeted Development Plan for Poverty Reduction, in order to increase the effectiveness of Yemeni and donor efforts to tackle poverty and deprivation. Finally, we requested intensified Yemeni efforts against Al Qaeda.
	We also met leaders of the Yemeni political opposition and encouraged them to engage in the national dialogue process.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Arms Trade: Bahrain

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will suspend the licensing of arms exports to Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: We have reviewed licences issued for exports to Bahrain and have revoked those licences where we have concerns as a result of the regional tensions. However, there are currently no plans to suspend the licensing of arms sales to Bahrain although this situation remains under review. All future applications for export of equipment to Bahrain will continue to be carefully considered against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria taking into account how the situation develops.

Arms Trade: Licensing

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many licences were issued to companies for the export of arms to  (a) Egypt,  (b) Bahrain,  (c) Tunisia,  (d) Libya and  (e) Algeria in each of the last five years; and what the monetary value was of such transactions.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 2 March 2011
	The Government publish information on export licences in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view on the Strategic Export Controls: Reports and Statistics website at:
	https://www.exportcontroldb.berr.gov.uk/eng/fox

Departmental Offices

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 736-7W, on departmental offices, what forms he expected his Department's Regional Offices support for capacity and capability to take; and what partnerships he expects to be formed.

Mark Prisk: The Department's local offices will have no programme funding. They will help local enterprise partnerships understand this Department priorities and how the new economic development delivery structures will operate. The local teams will also assist partnerships in their dialogue with Government about their roles and functions.

Departmental Offices

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 737W, on departmental offices, by what means his Department's local economic priorities are determined.

Mark Prisk: The Department's local economic priorities are determined by BIS's overall priorities and this Department's assessment of the actions that it is best able to take to support delivery of these in local areas, working with local partners.

Green Economy Council

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what matters were discussed and decided at the inaugural Green Economy Council meeting on 16 February 2011; who sits on the Council; and if he will  (a) place in the Library and  (b) post on his Department's website a copy of (i) the minutes of the meeting and (ii) each paper circulated to participants.

Mark Prisk: The inaugural meeting of the Green Economy Council on 16 February discussed the Council's terms of reference and the Government's Roadmap to a Green Economy, which is currently being developed.
	The Council's role is to advise Government on policy development and therefore copies of minutes and papers are restricted and will not be placed in the Library or on the Department's website.
	The members of the Council are:
	
		
			  GEC Member  Position  Company 
			 Peter Young Chairman Aldersgate Group 
			 Richard Soper MD Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd 
			 David Frost CBE Director General British Chambers of Commerce 
			 Gearoid Lane Managing Director, New Markets Centrica 
			 Shaun Mays CEO Climate Change Capital 
			 Neil Bentley Deputy Director General CBI 
			 Jonathan Short MD ECO Plastics Ltd 
			 Joe Greenwell Chairman Ford UK 
			 Andy Reynolds-Smith Divisional Chief Executive (and Chairman, CBI Manufacturing Council) GKN 
			 Stephen Leonard CEO IBM 
			 Tom Crotty Chairman Ineos 
			 Dr Henri Winand CEO Intelligent Energy 
			 Nigel Keen Director Property Services John Lewis Partnership 
			 Nick Bunker President, UK and Ireland Kraft Foods 
			 Dan Labbad CEO Europe, Middle East and Africa (and Chairman, UK Green Building Council) Lend Lease 
			 Kate Craig-Wood CEO Memset 
			 Heidi Mottram OBE CEO Northumbrian Water 
			 Paul Noon General Secretary Prospect 
			 Ian Goodfellow MDUK Shanks plc 
			 Andreas Goss Chief Executive, Siemens UK and Cluster North West Europe Siemens 
			 Mike Bushell Chief Scientist Syngenta 
			 Uday Chaturvedi Chief Technical Officer Tata Steel Europe 
			 Frances O'Grady Deputy General Secretary TUC

Green Investment Bank

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to determine the level of funds to be released from asset sales to be provided to the proposed Green Investment Bank.

Mark Prisk: We are unable to provide commercially sensitive information on expected proceeds from individual asset sales at this stage. However, at an aggregate level, the Government are confident that the asset sales they are considering will be sufficient to provide significant additional funding above the £1 billion allocated to the Green Investment Bank from departmental budgets. We will make further announcements on this funding stream in due course.

Industrial Health and Safety

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to launch the consultation on implementing an improved system for assessing health and safety standards for large companies with multiple outlets recommended in Lord Young's report, Common Sense, Common Safety.

Mark Prisk: This consultation will be launched in May this year, as part of a wider consultation on the Government's forthcoming White Paper on regulatory enforcement. This White Paper will set out our plans to reshape the regulatory system to increase levels of accountability, transparency and efficiency.
	Following Lord Young's recommendations, and as part of the White Paper, we are working with national regulators, including the Health and Safety Executive, to develop inspection plan pilots involving several companies including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, and local authorities across England. In these pilots, local authorities and national regulators will work with businesses-tailoring their inspection regimes to take account of the businesses' demonstrated commitment to regulatory compliance in specific areas, including health and safety.
	For businesses, this will provide an opportunity to reduce the regulatory burden through earned recognition of their good practice, while for local authorities it will enable more efficient targeting of front line resources on the areas where they can really make a difference.

International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will direct Companies House to take no further steps in respect of the registration as a company of the International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring until the completion of an investigation into allegations of irregularities in its registration.

Edward Davey: There are no further steps that could be taken in respect of this registration. The International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring was incorporated in 2006.

International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will commission an investigation into allegations of irregularities in the registration at Companies House of the International Institute of Cricket Scoring and Umpiring.

Edward Davey: In light of further questions regarding the incorporation of International Institute of Cricket Umpiring and Scoring Limited, Companies House officials are reviewing the original decision with respect to the name of the company.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2011,  Official Report, column 492W, on knowledge transfer partnerships: finance, which projects and initiatives were funded by each regional development agency for innovation, collaboration and knowledge transfer partnerships in the five years referred to.

David Willetts: The regional development agencies cannot provide the information being requested. This information is not readily available and would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold to locate and extract the relevant data.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2011,  Official Report, column 492W, on knowledge transfer partnerships: finance, how many businesses received funding from each regional development agency for initiatives and projects for innovation, collaboration and knowledge transfer partnerships in the five years referred to; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  RDA  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08  2008/09  2009/10 
			 AWM(1) 956 1,086 773 1077 1,665 
			 EEDA 54 109 142 133 155 
			 EMDA 88 42 47 45 52 
			 LDA(2) 0 194 188 390 718 
			 NWDA(3) 5 7 13 10 14 
			 ONE 7 54 175 339 402 
			 SEEDA(4) 61 201 301 168 247 
			 SWRDA(5) 13 27 21 16 27 
			 YF 224 49 280 851 353 
			 (1) AWM-The figures are from our annual reports and accounts from 2005/06 to 2009/10. These figures reflect the number of businesses collaborating with the knowledge base. (2) LDA-LDA data are for 'Business Support-Collaborations' which is a widely used (though not always the only) output for innovation projects. Businesses achieving these outputs may not have received direct funding from the LDA but are the direct beneficiaries of LDA-funded programmes via delivery partners. (3) NWDA-The figures provided relate to bodies that received grant monies that are non public sector and non university. The majority of our grant support in the collaboration/innovation and knowledge transfer has been with the university side or in establishing innovation parks etc rather that direct funding to businesses (4) SEEDA-The figures provided in the draft answer relate to Tasking Framework Output 4a (businesses in collaboration with the knowledge base) and are totals recorded for initiatives and projects including Collaborative Research and Development, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Knowledge Networks, and Innovation Vouchers only. These figures do not include outputs provided by the regional Business Link service. (5) SWRDA-Figures for South West RDA include recipients of Grants for Research and Development and National Aerospace Technology Strategy collaborative Research and Development projects. These projects vary in scale and many companies will benefit from the aerospace consortia projects, which have targets to support SMEs and university engagement at regional level.  Notes: 1. During the period South West RDA indirectly funded knowledge transfer partnerships in the environmental sector. For example, three businesses received funding as part of the Severn Embryonic Technology scheme in 2009/10. Figures for these businesses are not included above as South West RDA did not fund the businesses directly. 2. The number of businesses receiving innovation related grants under Grants for Business Investment or RDPE are not included in the figures above.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many local enterprise partnerships have representatives of  (a) social enterprises,  (b) universities and  (c) the voluntary sector on their boards.

Mark Prisk: To date the Government have formally recognised two local enterprise partnership boards. Both have representatives of universities on them but neither have representatives from either social enterprise or the voluntary sector.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2011,  Official Report, column 593W, on business: higher education, what discretionary funding each local authority has allocated to each local enterprise partnership in England; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: It is for local authorities to decide what level of their discretionary spending they allocate to local enterprise partnerships.

National Composites Centre

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which body owns the site of the National Composite Centre in Bristol.

Mark Prisk: The National Composites Centre (NCC) site is owned by South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and forms part of their freehold ownership of SPark Bristol and Bath Science Park. The NCC site will shortly be transferred to Bristol university on a 250 year lease and in accordance with a lease agreement signed by SWRDA and Bristol university in May 2010.

New Businesses: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage business investment in the West Midlands.

Mark Prisk: The Government are committed to ensuring that all parts of the UK achieve strong, balanced and sustainable growth.
	At the local level we have encouraged businesses, local authorities and other key partners to form Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). These will use their knowledge of the obstacles to growth and opportunities in their area to drive actions to help local firms. Businesses and local authorities in the West Midlands have been quick to respond to this opportunity and six LEPs have been approved, covering the whole of the region.
	At the national level the Government have taken a series of initiatives to improve the conditions for business growth, in particular by reducing the main rate of corporation tax from 28% to 24%, benefiting firms in the West Midlands and across the UK. The Government are also extending the Enterprise Finance Guarantee until 2015, unlocking up to £2 billion of additional lending, and is increasing the Enterprise Capital Funds by £200 million over the next four years, enabling more than £300 million of venture capital investment. The Regional Growth Fund will focus on providing financial support to areas with weak private sectors, and we will announce the first allocation of funds shortly.
	The growth review is working with business to identify obstacles to growth and will report back at the 2011 budget.

Overseas Trade: India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Government have taken on business co-operation between India and the UK since the Prime Minister's visit to India.

Mark Prisk: Since the Prime Minister's visit to India in July 2010, steps have included visits, activities and meetings to further develop business co-operation between the UK and India, led by Government Ministers in a range of areas of bilateral importance. These include climate change, education, and science and research. Where appropriate, we are engaging businesses in these areas of collaboration to ensure that our wider relationship has a positive impact for business.
	Visits have included the Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, my noble Friend Lord Sassoon, in September; the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell) and the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts) in November; and the visit in January by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), during which he co-chaired the Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting with Shri Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce, accompanied by a delegation of 50 British companies.
	In November, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) hosted the UK-India Business Leaders Climate Group, focussed on ways the two countries and our businesses can work together to boost productivity, jobs and innovation, while also cutting carbon emissions.
	In February the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend Lord Green, participated in the first meeting of the UK-India CEO Forum in the UK. This meeting was co-chaired by Peter Sands, chief executive of Standard Chartered Bank plc and Ratan Tata, chairman Tata Group. It discussed ways to improve further UK-India bilateral trade and investment and will report back to both Prime Ministers.
	The Government, through UK Trade and Investment, continue to deliver a full programme of work related to increasing UK exports, attracting more Indian investment into the UK and improving the business environment in both countries.

Regional Growth Fund: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many bids for the Regional Growth Fund have been received from applicants in the West Midlands.

Mark Prisk: 464 bids have been received in Round 1 of Regional Growth Fund. Of these, 72 bids have been received from the West Midlands. A summary of bids received in Round 1 of the Regional Growth Fund is available on the BIS website:
	www.bis.gov.uk/RGF

Renewable Energy: Technology

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the marine energy sector which will be created as a result of planned expenditure on renewable energy technology.

Mark Prisk: The marine energy sector in the UK employed over 600 people in 2008-09, according to research commissioned by BIS. The Carbon Trust estimates 16,000 people could be employed in the sector by 2040. Government expenditure to promote renewable energy technologies is helping to achieve this potential.
	Some of this expenditure is specifically targeted at the marine energy sector. We are providing funding for "Wave Hub" in Cornwall, the UK's first offshore facility to demonstrate the operation of arrays of wave energy devices, and for "Nautilus", an open access marine energy testing facility at the National Renewable Energy Centre in Northumberland.

Research: Charities

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the amount of funding provided by the charity sector for research conducted by universities in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: Data available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show funding from UK based charities for research to higher education institutions in the UK for the last five years, as set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Amount (£ million) 
			 2005-06 725.6 
			 2006-07 767.5 
			 2007-08 827.1 
			 2008-09 896.4 
			 2009-10 917.1

Riot Control Weapons: Exports

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to which countries the Government has licensed the export of tear gas in the last three years.

Edward Davey: The Government publish information on export licences in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. military, other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view on the Strategic Export Controls: Reports and Statistics website at:
	https://www.exportcontroldb.berr.gov.uk/eng/fox

Small Businesses: Rural Areas

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to assist the development of small and medium-sized businesses in rural areas.

Mark Prisk: This Department is currently reforming the way it assists the development of small and medium-sized businesses so that, whether or not they are in rural areas, they can access:
	Online business information and tools tailored to each business' needs through improvements to the www.businesslink.gov.uk website or, for those who cannot access the information they need on the web or who are not connected to the internet, a national contact centre;
	A network of at least 40,000 experienced business mentors offering practical advice to existing businesses and people who want to start a business;
	International trade development support provided by UKTI;
	A refocused range of Solutions for Business products that are better focussed on helping firms grow;
	The Manufacturing Advisory Service; and
	Business Coaching for Growth targeted at agglomerations of businesses with high growth potential.
	In addition, the Department for Work and Pensions will be providing help for start-ups through a tailored package of measures, including an expansion in the planned New Enterprise Allowance, to help the unemployed become self-employed.
	Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs), including those covering rural areas, may also seek to provide additional support to small and medium-sized businesses in their areas.

Technology Strategy Board: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to publish the core budget for the Technology Strategy Board for 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board will be formally notified of its allocation for the spending review period later this month.